


Time Staff

by WwolfJade123



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Bees being depressed, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Future meet Present, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Talking airship named Rose, only for the whiterose i think, volume 4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24679297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WwolfJade123/pseuds/WwolfJade123
Summary: With Team RWBY now separated, an unknown organisation from the future had taken advantage of the situation and travels back in time to kill each member one by one, something that is considered as justice in that time.But before any of the action happened, mysterious figures appear and protected each one of them. First was a girl that acted like a knight, her hair was as white as snow and her semblance reminded the young leader of someone she knew. Second was a girl that floats like wind in a flurry of rose petals, the heiress thought of her as some deity. Third came a beautiful blonde, her face and probably her whole body was scarred which made her even more beautiful, as the runaway faunus one thought. She had a prosthetic that the faunus found fascinating. And fourth, a girl of shadows, eyes that shine in the dark which led the tank of the team to her slumber without another thought of worry or distress.What they didn't know was that these girls were connected to Team RWBY, in one way an in another.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 7
Kudos: 61





	1. Ambushed (R)

Another fresh day in Anima. The wind blew a cool breeze through the forest as if it were singing a lullaby to the creatures that lived there. The trees swaying with the rhythm of the wind's whistles.

It was a really fresh day in Anima.

At least... it was for the animals...

Team RNJR were... tired, per se. Tired from last night's grimm invasion at the last town they happen to walk by. Took the whole day to get rid of the grimm, not even a single second were they able to rest.

They were totally beat up, clearly showing they've had enough of fighting for the day. Even though their aura was almost full, the exhaustion was still there.

Nora Valkyrie was groaning with each step, she looked like she hadn't got a wink for several days, dragging her hammer tiredly creating a trail in its wake.

Ren too was exhausted. Probably the most out of the four of them. He was the one that was always jumping and running to save the towns folks and making sure Nora and Ruby didn't do anything they'll regret. All his energy was spent making sure they were safe.

Jaune was constantly wiping his forehead. Despite the cool breeze, his shield was open wide covering himself from the heat of the sun, reading the map in the other hand.

Ruby was... dead.

Figuratively. She was dead.

"C-can... we stop?" Ruby breathed out, "J-just for a few minutes?"

Jaune lowered his shield, "We can't. The next town is at least a few miles ahead."

Nora groaned, "Oh c'mon, Jaune-y! It's only for a few minutes!"

He sighed, "I supposed a few minutes wont be that long..."

"Finally!" Nora exclaimed before flopping down by a tree as she closed her eyes in content, her hands on her head.

Ruby humourlessly chuckled, "Thank the gods..." She muttered under her breath before she herself did the same and flopped next to Nora with an emphasised 'oof'.

Ren and Jaune both sat across the two girls. Ren drinking water while Jaune was trying to figure out their current location and just how long they have before the next town.

Nora and Ruby both hummed in satisfaction when the cool breeze blew under their bangs, cooling their sweaty foreheads.

Jaune chuckled at their reaction and raised an eyebrow, "You two sure are exhausted."

"Ren! Water!" Nora demanded, her hand raising up expecting water bottle.

Ruby's eyes flickered open when she heard Nora loudly take gulps of water. She herself quickly felt thirsty.

Nora let out a breath, "That hits the spot."

Ruby stared at Nora with puppy dog eyes hoping Nora'll get the message without her saying anything. She was far too dehydrated.

Nora smirked, "Want some?"

Ruby smiled and nodded, if she had a tail right now it would have been wagging fast. Her smile grew when Nora tossed the bottle to her. She swiftly opened the cap and starts chugging it down.

"Save some for later, Ruby." Jaune warned, not even looking up from the map.

Ruby said some unknown words as she drank.

Silence hovered the group. The kind of silence where it was uncomfortable for the one who talks too much and comfortable the others.

The only thing that was breaking their silence were the sound of birds chirping and the rustle of leaves of bushes. Jaune's map also contributing to the sounds.

An idea popped inside her head. She smiled giddily and slowly stood up.

"Ruby..?" Ren said in a 'I know your bored and thought of an ridiculous idea but I beg you to stop and relax for a second' tone.

"Don't worry, Ren, I'll only climb this tree here. You know? For sightseeing?" She assured, patting the bark of the tree.

Ren sighed, knowing there was no way other than force to stop her from doing so.

Before he could reply, Nora jumped up from her sitting position. She started doing small happy jumps, her hands clenched together excitingly, "Can I come? Can I come? Can I come?" She repeated over and over to the shorter leader.

"No." Ren deadpanned.

Nora turned to Ren with her own puppy eyes, "Pleeaasse~" She pleaded.

Ren sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, he looked up, his face still deadpanned, "Nora. You can't climb trees." He said flatly.

"Of course I can!"

"No you can't."

She pouted, "Your no fun." She flopped down just right in front of him. She let her head fall into Ren's lap, groaning loudly in disapproval.

Jaune and Ruby chuckled at the sight.

She gave them a small wave and started climbing up the tree.

As she climbed, her tongue unconsciously peaked out of the corner of her mouth, showing just how determined she was to reach the top.

When she arrived at a big branch, she looked down to see the rest of her friends just silently doing their own thing, well only the other two. She looked up and saw just how far she needed to climb the tree.

She bursts into rose petals and landed on the next big branch of the tree. After she burst back into human, she steadied herself.

Now she was using her semblance to get from one big branch to another. The sight of her doing so looks like a small little kid jumping from one rock to another in a shallow, running river.

Once she reached the top she smiled brightly to see nature having a really good day.

She spun around the top, using the tip like a pole. Green, grey and blue hues covering her sight. When she stopped she was giggling slightly, now, facing the huge mountain right beside the path they were following.

She turned her head to her right when she heard chirping. She smiled at the sight.

A beautiful small white canary landed on the tip of the tree, calmly watching Ruby doing her sightseeing.

Ruby cautiously started leaning in the bird, not wanting it to be scared and fly away. At close proximity, the bird wasn't afraid of Ruby.

She gingerly started scratching the back of the bird's neck.

The canary rubbed it's head on Ruby's thumb, telling her that it was liking it.

Ruby leaned closer, "Hey you." She whispered.

The bird's head turned to Ruby's direction.

"To what do I owe this lovely bird's presence?" She asked, still whispering.

The bird chirped once and flew out of the tip. Ruby followed the bird's movements with her eyes. The bird gingerly landed on Ruby's shoulder and started nipping it's wings on the inside.

Ruby chuckled a little, "Like me that much, huh?"

The bird chirped in reply making Ruby chuckle again.

Ruby started scratching the back to it's neck again. As she scratched she went back to her sightseeing.

A few moments later, their silence was broken by a chirp of another bird.

Ruby watch the white canary leave her shoulder and follow a very vibrant red canary to a nest just right next the tree she was using for sight seeing.

The white canary turned back to Ruby. She waved a little to the birds, "Bye bye, little birdies."

"Ruby!" Jaune called.

Ruby looked down and saw them getting ready to leave. Jaune added, "Time to go!"

"Yeah yeah! I'll be there!" She called back.

Ruby started climbing down by hand wanting to absorb the rest of the beautiful sight.

RRIINNGGG

Ruby's hands quickly covered both of her ears by the sudden high pitched ringing. Her feet slipped and she started falling, head first, to the ground.

Ruby reached one hand to her back and tried to reach Crescent Rose, to no avail.

The ringing got higher when she reached her scythe. She covered her ears again and let out a loud squeal in pain.

She shut her eyes tight, hoping the ringing would quiet down.

She yelped when she felt someone tackle her. The two of them landing safely to the ground, tumbling on each other trying to slow down their speed.

Ruby groaned and started sitting up. The ringing had stopped. She softly rubbed her temple, the mini headache starting to spread out. She groaned again.

"You alright?" Came a voice bellow her. She opened her eyes and smiled sheepishly in reply.

"Nora!" Came Ren and Jaune's voice.

She helped Nora stand up and Nora started waving at the two like nothing had happen.

"Are you two alright?" Jaune asked, panting slightly.

Nora nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah yeah, we're alright." She turned to Ruby's direction, one eyebrow raised confusingly, "Why'd you fall?"

Ruby knitted her eyebrows together, she herself, confused, "You guys didn't hear it?"

Ren and Jaune exchanged glances,

"Heard what?" They asked.

"The ringing?" By the looks of it, the other three were even more confused.

"Ruby, did you bump your head falling down here?" Asked Jaune, reaching one hand out in concern.

"No, I didn't!" Said Ruby, "The only reason why I was falling was because of the ringing!"

"Don't be ridiculous! If there was a ringing, Nora wouldn't have caught you." Reasoned Jaune, clearly thinking that this was a prank, even though it wasn't.

"Yeah, don't be ridiculous, Ruby~..."

Ruby and the other's quickly turned around. Nothing.

Ruby unsheathe Crescent Rose followed by Jaune and the others. The four of them circling each other trying to figure out who or what had said that.

She tightened the hold of her scythe, "Who's there?" She asked cautiously in a low intimidating voice.

There it was again. Now, it started laughing hysterically, it's voice was coming everywhere. Only succeeding to confuse the group.

A bush started rustling. All heads snapped to the direction.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, closely observing for the bush's next move. Then something clicked inside her and she bursts into rose petals.

"BEHIND!" Her voice echoed and she bursts behind Jaune and the others.

The sound of weapons clash made the other three turn around.

Ruby gritted her teeth feeling the power of the enemy's strength, she used her feet trying hard not to fly away.

She looked up and started scanning the enemy's face and weapons.

His eyes were shining a bright amber glow. His weapons, which were two katanas, the crystal dangling from his neck were glowing the same amber glow as his eyes. He has dark red hair that's swept cleanly to his side. A tattoo of twin serpent heads on each side of his neck. The same symbol was found on his shoulder plates and his revolver packet.

He chuckled, his chest noticeably went up and down behind the seemingly thick and tight brown leather cloak. Strands of his dark red hair brushed to the front.

He back away, his katanas shifting into revolvers before placing them both on the packets on his belt. He smirked, the smug kind, before he wiped his nose as if it was bleeding,

"That was sloppy, Red."

Ruby held her scythe close and took one step closer to the enemy, "Who are you?" She asked, her voice still low and threatening.

The man cracked his neck before he leaned low. His tongue brushed the outside of his lips, "Does that really matter?"

Nora appeared beside Ruby, leaning on her hammer. She looked like she was trying to act all smug and cocky, which made the enemy chuckle.

He waved at her, "Thor! It's been a while, has it?"

Nora cocked a brow, "Thor?" She muttered confusingly then shook her head, "Hate to break it to you but, I don't know you."

Before everyone knew it he disappeared.

Not a single trace from him.

The group frantically looked around them trying to leave zero blindspots for when he'll attack.

Ruby gasped when she felt something graze her jaw. She tumbled down, landing on her butt with her hands on the fresh wound.

She sharply inhaled, enduring the sudden sting from her wound. It wasn't that deep but it still stings.

"Ruby!" Jaune exclaimed. He rushed to her side, "What the..?" He muttered seeing a bit of blood coming out of the graze.

He appeared again right in front of Ren, "Zuko. I was wonde--" He backed away from Ren's opportunity to graze him.

He frowned at the surprise attack, "Hey! I was talking!" He added.

Ren took his stance.

Nora appeared behind him, her hammer behind her, gaining momentum for her attack.

The man only took a glance behind him before Nora smashed him with her hammer.

Ren tried his best to maintain balance as the ground around the man shook and shifted by Nora's smash. He groaned under his breath when the fog cleared.

He was gone again. Ren bobbed his head to his side and Nora was behind him. The two of them looking out each other's backs.

Nora leaned more into him, "What do you think?" She whispered.

"I don't know," He turned to Ruby and Jaune, who were already standing up, "But whatever this is, he manage graze Ruby without breaking her aura."

The man appeared again and started clapping, "Your getting warmer, Zuko."

Before he could continue his little speech, Ruby charged at him.

He blocked her attempt with his revolver and smirked a little. He grabbed the other one and the two shifted into katanas.

He pushed Ruby off of him and used the other one to attack.

Ruby ducked, her scythe's blade behind his leg. She pulled the trigger and he disappeared. She flew to the nearest tree, her feet landing smoothly only the bark, shaking it a little.

She scanned the their small spot then bursts into petals. Three bullets shot in her position just after she shifted.

Ren shot his own four bullets at the direction he guessed where he might be.

He jumped up and dodged all the bullets. Once in the air, Ruby and Nora swung their weapons and the man blocked the both of them with ease.

The three of them landed on the ground, their weapons still clashing.

Jaune charged raising his weapon high. The man saw him coming, he removed his strength from Nora's hammer causing Nora to fall and her hammer to hit the ground.

He jumped up and touched the girl's skin before he used the blunt side if his katana to hit Nora on the head causing her to fly at high speed, destroying several trees as she tried to slow down.

"Nora!" Ren exclaimed. Leaving himself wide open.

The man ran up to him and took a swing of both of his katanas. Rose petals raced him to his target and before the katanas hit Ren, it hit the handle of Crescent Rose.

Jaune sung his sword to his front but he had already jumped away.

Ruby followed his trail and spun her scythe over her head before she took her strike. The man easily blocked each of her attacks when they reached the ground. 

Jaune and Ren were trying to find where to jump in and help Ruby win the fight.

When Ruby took one step back to dodge an attack, Ren ran up to them and used the blades of his pistil to attack him.

Ruby swung her scythe to his side and Ren aimed for the next spot he'll go to. The bullet hit him but it wasn't enough.

The man then ran towards Jaune, completely ignoring the other two that attacked.

Jaune used his shield and covered himself as the katana strikes his way. He swung it to his side and slashed him. Before he react, the man grabbed him forearm and swung him the the nearest tree.

He looked over his shoulder and chuckled at the familiar person that stood in front of him.

"Why, if it isn't the legendary bird himself." He turned around, "Qrow Branwen! Welcome to the fight!"

Qrow ignored his comment and turned to his niece, "You alright, kid?" His low husky voice had a hint of concern.

Ruby smiled, "Uncle Qrow!"

Qrow chuckled, "Miss me already?"

"Always!" She replied with one of her most enthusiastic voice.

Qrow turned to the man with a scowl, "I don't know who you are, or how you know my name but believe me when I say I'm gonna kick your butt."

The man bowed dramatically, "I'm sorry for my rudeness. My name's Zaak Wine."

"I didn't ask for it." Qrow replied, his sword already ready for combat.

The man charged at Qrow.

He jumped up and his katana's on his back, ready to strike.

Before he could get close a glyph appeared right in front of him.

He narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He landed back to the ground not continuing his attack.

He backed away at least a few feet from the other three, "Dammit." He muttered under his breath. He's pissed.

Another person landed in front of them, back facing their direction. She had beautiful white hair tied in a side ponytail. She wore a white doublet with a tunic underneath, both clothing had bright red lacing. She had white trousers and knee high iron boots.

She stood high and mighty, that the idea she was a princess was already thrown out of the window, "Zaak." She greeted. Her voice weighed royalty in many ways.

Zaak flinched, he shakily dipped his head, the sarcastic still evident under all of his nervousness.

The girl scoffed, "What are you doing." The familiarity of the tone struck Ruby like a high speeding train.

"Your highness."

"Traitor."

After that, Zaak had disappeared, this time he wont re-appear for any further notice.

The girl let out a breath of relief. She held her hand up, a holographic screen appeared in front of her revealing six blue dots. She placed her hand near her ear and sighed,

"Ruby?" 

Realisation hit Ruby. The voice was far too familiar.

"Weiss..?"


	2. Ambushed (W)

"Amazing performance!"

"Bravo!"

Came all the greetings and congratulations of guests as the heiress of the SDC, Weiss Schnee, walks down the red carpet. She had just finished her performance for the charity her father held for Beacon's evacuees.

Though she didn't want to, she was smiling and waving sheepishly at each guest she had walked passed. Them giving a small nod and smile of acknowledgement in return.

She let out a very long sigh once she arrived at the reception, momentarily dropping her 'happy' facade. Who knew simple smiling and waving could tire you out?

Looking around the room, she frowned.

She mentally slapped herself, 'This isn't Beacon, Weiss. Don't be stupid.' she scolded herself and clenched her jaw.

A pair was walking toward her. She straightened her posture and mustered a small smile at the upcoming couple, patiently waiting for the conversation to start so she could get over it.

The guests nod towards her and she did the same.

"Are your evenings going well?" She asked politely, her small smile seemingly lingered as they approached.

The woman chuckled lightly, "Oh my, Miss Schnee. How thoughtful of you."

"Yes, our evenings are going great." Her husband concluded, giving the wife a long and loving gaze.

The sight made Weiss' heart crack.

"I have to say. Your performance was splendid. Your high notes were on point, pronunciations were as clear as the clear ocean."

"Thank you." That compliment felt... off...

"This is a very well managed charity event, Miss Schnee. Your father must have worked hard to put all of this together."

Weiss' eyes turned to other direction and laughs humourlessly trying her best to prevent a scoff escape her lips, "Of course he did..." She said rather unenthusiastically than intended.

The woman placed a hand on her heart, "The people in Beacon are going to be so thankful! News says food supplies were running low, with all these donations I bet the school might even be up in the next year!"

"Yes..." She replied, they didn't seem to notice her sudden change of mood. Who would even notice it? Atlas isn't a place of emotion, no, that title goes to... Vale...

"Our father's original plan was to donate his own money to Beacon," Whitley's voice chirped in their conversation, "But his plans changed when he realised that today was his worker's pay check."

Lies. He only did this to let Vale and the other kingdoms know that the SDC were still up and running to brag about how it had excess power to give. Lies.

"Ahh." The man replied, "The usual 'treat your employees as family'. Can your father be more thoughtful?" He said enthusiastically.

Another lie. Her father never treats the 'people that work for him' fairly. Especially the faunus, sometimes they don't even get their pay checks just because her father felt like they didn't deserve it. So many lies behind her family's corporation.

"Your father is truly something else." The woman added with a series of nods.

Yes. He's a lier, racist and abusive man that'll do anything for money.

Weiss cleared her throat and maintained her small smile, "Please excuse me. I'll go and get myself a drink."

"Leaving already, sister?" The way Whitely's sly intention made Weiss' skin crawl in anger.

She cried in the inside and turned to her 'brother' with the kindest smile that came up, "Yes. The performance exhaust me."

"Of course, of course. Your voice must be straining." The woman assured, giving Weiss the shooing motion with her four fingers.

Good. She didn't want to be there in the first place.

She nodded and took her leave, also leaving Whitely a light glare. A sigh blew out her lips when she was out of ear shot.

She took a glass of water from one of the faunus waiter's walking past her, slightly giving them an apologetic look, and walked to the direction of the paintings these charities were held for.

She took the glass to her lips and stared at the painting in front of her, her free hand hugging herself around her waist.

It was a very beautiful painting of Beacon and what it once was. It captured how the mood of the sun was setting just right behind the school. Red, yellow and orange mixing perfectly in the sky, no clouds wandering carelessly leaving the very top a dark shade of purple that revealed a few stars seeping in the evening sky.

Weiss took a small sip from her glass of water. The cool liquid ran down her dry throat, easing the sore muscles that was used from singing. Now that she think of it, she hadn't drank water since she had woke up.

She giggled to herself at the memory of a certain brunette pushing Weiss down the hall and to the canteen just for a glass of water(And a cookie).

How she missed her life in Beacon...

Her eyes wandered on the painting's frame. Gold. On one of the corner held a very displeasing card. At least displeasing for her.

'Donation of Jacques Schnee, the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company. He gives out his thanks.'

She furrowed her lips. Events like this always brings a frown to her face yet she never knew why. Was it the lies that came with? The masks they had wore? Whatever it was, it always made her frown.

Her eyes drifted to her side feeling someone starting to lean closer to her.

She tensed up when she felt someone's arm drape over her neck, tightly squeezing Weiss' shoulder.

"Good evening... Miss Schnee." A raspy voice whispered, very close to Weiss' ear that she felt his hot breath envelop her ears. The strong scent of blood and alcohol rivalled her family's perfume.

She looked down to her heels and closed her eyes. She's in trouble.

"Weiss?" He greeted. Weiss ignored him in reply. He let out a curious 'hmm', his grip on her shoulder tighten which made Weiss' eyes shot wide open, "What about 'Team RWBY'? Ring any bells?"

Weiss took a sharp inhale, then let out a slightly shaking breath, "What do you want?" She asked.

"Oh... nothing personal..." His voice sent shivers down Weiss' spine.

She heard a gun cock. Her eyes shut close, not wanting to hear something that loud so near (Nora's an exception).

The gun's release made everyone shut up.

The guests started backing away, while the others that was minding their own business had turned to their direction.

The man spun him and Weiss around and turned towards the people the rich call 'guests'.

The man chuckled loudly to see he had the attention of the entire crowd.

He started waving his gun around, "I wont be here for too long and I just wanted to say..." He paused.

A few minutes had passed before he pointed his gun to the person standing in front of him, "I hate parties." The gun shot again, Weiss saw the bullet's trail was accompanied by fire dust.

The bullet landed on his unintentional target and they easily exploded. The man tsk-ed, "This isn't even an event for huntsmen and huntresses. Lame."

He pointed his gun to the next person beside the first one and shot his gun.

The crowd started panicking from his sudden hostility. That's when Weiss felt it, a long bushy tail rub against her legs as if it were wagging happily. Faunus.

The man stopped shooting. Their surroundings already lit up in flames, no one left inside besides the cold headless bodies laying on the floor.

On the walls, the floor and a few smudges on the sealing. Though it wasn't all that gore-y, it was just blood smudges on the surface.

The man laughed, "Wow, Weiss. Even your family left you! Atlesians really doesn't have a heart, do they?" He said in between small laughs.

"I can agree with you on that..." She murmured.

"Huh. So you were this distraught when Beacon fell." 

She arched her brow in confusion to his statement. When Beacon fell? But before everything else.

The window blast open.

The man pointed his gun at the shattered glass on the floor. Weiss looked up to see a trail of rose petals?

Her eyes shined when she felt the familiar presence enter the room.

Rose petals started trailing inside the room. As if they were gaining momentum to strike.

He gritted his teeth then wrapped his arms on Weiss' waist pulling her closer. He then pointed the gun on her head which Weiss only brushed off. She had full aura.

"About time, Red!" He called out, catching Weiss' full attention.

"Ruby..?" She muttered.

"My gun is capable of propelling bullets at high speeds in one mile. The bullets are filled with a variety mix of dust." He placed the gun closer to Weiss' head, "If this made contact with, Miss Schnee here, everything will go all boom..." He emphasised, both on the boom and initials.

Nothing.

Another wave of rose petals appeared in front of them.

He groaned. Aiming his gun on Weiss' side he pulled the trigger.

Weiss gasped at the strong force the bullet had as it made contact instantly breaking her aura. Her knees went weak and she tumbled in front of her, only to be held up by the man's arms.

She took very deep breaths with her eyes wide. That felt like she had just got hit by a very very sharp spear that exploded in contact.

The gun went back on Weiss' head, "I'm serious, Red. Come out or she gets it."

A few moments had passed and there was no sign of a trail of rose petals.

Just as when he was about to pull the trigger, the rose petals scattered everywhere in the room mushed together and a girl with a red hood bursts out.

She swung her scythe to where it connected Weiss and the man together.

He groaned at the contact of the sharp scythe but grinned when it did.

His skin turned iron and he pushed Weiss to the side, letting her fend for herself.

The man attacked Red with an iron fist which she easily dodged with another burst of rose petals.

He grunted and groaned when he felt bullets hit his side and arm. Though it wasn't enough to break his aura.

Weiss watched weakly as the two battle.

The man was reckless and sloppy, shooting at any chance he could get, it was obvious he doesn't have a strategy or any type of fighting style. He used his guns recklessly and his steel skin only as defense. Weiss could easily come up with a battle strategy with that kind of semblance and weapon.

The other one though... she was graceful. By the way she bursts into human and rose petals, she looked like she was doing a ballet than a battle. Her swings were short yet they were full of force. Her red cloak acting as if she was just a red flash appearing in front of you. Her strategy and fighting style was graceful, no errors or mistakes were visible to a naked eye.

The man screamed when Red had dodged another set of his bullets. He angrily spun around and unconsciously swung the blunt side of his gun.

Red blocked his attack with the handle of her scythe, stopping her little hit and run tactic.

Weiss got a good look of her.

The most evident of her clothing was the red hood. Then she saw packs on the huntress' side and a line of bullets by her waist. She had a black to red gradient long silky hair that was tied in a pony tail with a rose-like tie. She wore a black sleeveless leather jacket and red trousers.

There was also a scar that starts from her chin down her nape and deep into her back.

Red scowled, "How many times do I have to tell you to not lay a finger on her..." She said in a very low intimidating voice. It could scare off a grizzly in a second.

He chuckled, "That was the other one."

"Don't even think you can win this argument, Hagane."

"Sheesh! Always so dense when it comes to you."

"I'm only this dense when it comes to you."

The man, Hagane, used his free hand and try to land a swing on Red only for her to burst into rose petals.

This time, she flew, carried Weiss with her and the two retreated, leaving a very pissed off leopard faunus to fend off for himself.

~

They flew at high speeds before stopping on top of a tree.

Weiss looked around and saw trees and mountains. She raised one eyebrow realising there was no snow and turned to the person that got her out of that situation.

Red ushered her to sit down which she did without hesitation.

Red raised her hand then it showed a holographic screen. Two blue dots near each other and another blue dot north of where they were.

Red sat down in front of her with a blinding smile that can combat the sun.

Weiss stared at her or a few moments before she opened her mouth, "Where are we?" She asked in a low and hush tone clearly concerned if she had just been kidnapped.

"Anima!" She excitedly said. Her tone was a thousand more different than how she spoke back in Atlas, but that wasn't the thing that sunk down in Weiss' mind.

"A-Anima!?" She exclaimed in disbelief, "That flight only took about ten minutes!"

Red giggled, "Yeah~..."

Weiss cleared her throat, "Uh... if you don't mind me asking... who are you..?"

"Oh! You can just call me Red. It'll be confusing once my partner arrive." The way she was talking with Weiss right now was like they had been known each other for years.

"And who was that?" She pointed at the direction they had just flew.

Red laughed a little, "Yeah... don't mind him. He's not that important. For now." The last part was almost inaudible. 

"Right..."

"My partner is gonna arrive soon. The bees though are going to be a little late so we'll be going to the hut first." Red explained, playing with the hem of her red hood.

Weiss was cautiously scanning her, "Why do you look so familiar?" Weiss blurted out. Her face flushed in embarrassment when the words 'accidentaly' came out.

Red only shrugged, disregarding Weiss' flustered state, "Can't really tell you that.."

"What can you tell me?"

Red placed a finger on her chin, thinking deeply, "Well first of all, you can call me Red..." She muttered then narrowed her eyes, "My semblance is petal burst..." She added, "And that's about it."

Red then perked up and started getting something inside the bag on her back(The one that miraculously appeared). She brought out a very long case and handed it to Weiss,

"I forgot to give you this earlier. Hagane really gets on my nerves."

Weiss opened the case and her eyes widen, "Where did you get this?"

"In your room, behind the cabinets."

She pulled out Myrtenaster.

How did she get this in that short amount of time? 

Weiss cleared her throat and set her weapon aside. She dipped her head, slightly, "Thank you, Red."

"No need to thank me, Weiss. I know how much you loved your Myrtenaster."

Weiss looked up, "You know me?"

"Of course! Your Weiss Ro-- Schnee. C-- Heiress!! Of the SDC. Member of Team RWBY. W-who wouldn't know you?" Red rambled nervously. She looked like she was about to be killed by someone.

She chuckled a little, "So I don't need to introduce myself then..."

"No need! I did my homework, alright!" Something about that made Weiss grew suspicious of who she really is.

Before she could say anything else, Red's scroll beeped and Weiss saw how Red's silver eyes eyes shined like a mirror. The holographic screen appeared again and Red waved at the very familiar face.

"Where are you, R--"

"Red! Call me Red!" Red frantically announced, "And I'm in Anima. Above the tall trees."

The girl nodded, "Of course... Red. Is the heiress with you?"

Red shrugged one shoulder, "Duh! I am not the one in the group that fails."

The white haired lady giggled, "Good."

"And is the leader with yah?" She shot back, with an amused expression.

The girl nodded, "Yep."

"Great! I knew you could do it We-- I uh... I mean... White! Yeah, that's right! I knew you could do it... White." She chuckled nervously.

White nodded, "Now . Can you get down? We need to meet up."

"Yes ma'am!" She saluted and the call had ended.


	3. Ambushed (BY)

Blake wiped her recent tears away with her thumb, still continually staring at the group photo of Team RWBY. In particular, is staring at the person she'd cause so much pain. Yang.

She stroke her thumb on Yang's face for the hundredth time. She knew she had to do this. She knew she'll only bring poison in their lives. She knew they'd eventually forget about her. The one thing she didn't know was she never knew it could be this painful.

Leaving her accustomed life behind. Leaving her team behind. Leaving her, in particular, behind. It hurts. And the pain only adds up the more time she'd spent drifting more and more away from them.

Why is she feeling this way? The feeling of longing... longing for them. Their conversations. Their laugh. Their company. Why? It frustrates her how she feels this emotionally attached.

Why must this hurt so much? Why must she miss them? So so much...

She loved them. Correction. She loves them, more than she could have love anybody. More than what she had initially thought of. More than what she'd experience. What she'd expected.

Team RWBY, she loved. And that very team is starting to scar her. The team that accepts her identity, personality... race. Their more than what she could have wanted, deserved. Too much, that it pained to be this far away from them yet still feeling the feint warmth they casually emit.

Why is that she's oceans away from them, but she feels like they were just in the other room. Waiting patiently for her to calm down. Waiting for her to enter their lives again.

No. She would never. She would never enter again. Her poison had already affected them enough. No more pain. No more hurt for them. They deserve much more than a poisonous flower as her.

Her ears twitched at the sound of footsteps walking closer to her room. She sniffled and wiped the now flowing tears from her eyes and looked up, straightening herself.

The door gently swung open and Sun's head poked inside. He had a very cautious smirk, as if he was expecting a scolding.

Blake let out a breath she did not know why she held, and motioned for him to come in.

Sun's smirk turned into a huge smile as he enters the room. He closed the door behind him using his monkey tail.

He slowly started taking steps towards Blake, his hands swinging on his side comfortably. This made Blake avert her eyes, that careless walk was far too familiar for her taste.

Sun noticed this and stopped in his place, he gave her a genuine look, "Somethin' wrong?" He asked, his voice almost sounding like he was pitying her.

Blake shook her head and closed her eyes, "N-nothing..." She stuttered, clearly a sign something was up.

He shrugged this thought away and did not push the subject any further. He walked over and took a place beside her.

When he looked down, he was quickly filled in on what she had been doing the past couple of hours while here inside, alone. His smile faded.

Blake opens her eyes at the feel of someone's touch on top of her hand. She saw Sun's hand on top of hers, reassuringly. He knew what she had been doing and is just trying to help.

Her thoughts were quickly filled by a very familiar blonde with vibrant lilac eyes and a very cocky smirk. The tears dared to fall as she stared at the hand.

Sun grew nervous every second that passed. She was just staring with no kind of expression at all, and it genuinely scared him.

But, all his fears faded when Blake turned her hand over and returning the hold with a gentle squeeze and a furrowed lips. This sent a signal on Sun's perspective. Again, filling him in on what she'd just thought.

He reciprocated her squeeze while giving her a encouraging look, even though he knows she wont see him doing so.

Blake closed her eyes again, the feeling of something clogging her nose had passed her bar. She blinked her tears away only for it to roll down her cheek and fall on Sun's hand.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked.

She shook her head, "Not yet..." her whispered words were barely identified, even at close proximity.

Sun shrugged one shoulder, "Then what'd you wanna talk about?" His light and carefree character shining through his voice.

This made Blake smile. Even if she was bringing the mood down, as always, Sun find ways to lighten his own to avoid an emotional breakdown.

She sniffled, "Anything.." And by anything, she meant anything besides what happened in Beacon.

"Alright." Sun straightened his posture and clicked his tongue. Blake turned to him to find his free hand on his chin as he thought carefully, "Ooh! Have you tried the cruise's buffet?"

Blake shook her head.

Sun's jaw dropped and stared blankly at the her. As soon as Blake giggled at his reaction, he shook his head and snapped back into the conversation.

He threw his free hand up, emphasising his statement, "What?! How is this possible?! Blake refusing to eat seafood? That's preposterous!"

"Big words..." She muttered under her breath. Her ears twitched when she realised, "There's seafood?"

He chuckled and grinned, "Yep! Tuna, salmon..." He counted on his hand, "Everything! They even got bananas." His tail miraculously pulled out a banana from his pocket and started peeling it.

Blake giggled, "I'm glad they didn't forgot about the stowaways..." She teased with a slight nudge on his shoulder.

"Hey!" Blake giggled, "They've got everything in there. I bet they didn't forget about me!" He reasoned, completely offended by her teasing.

Blake playfully rolled her eyes, "Right~"

"Don't give me that, Blake." He warned, playfully. He stood up, pulling Blake with him. Before he darted to the door he tugged their intertwined fingers and smirked widely, "But c'mon! You have to try their Salad Supreme. Main ingredient is Salmon."

She rolled her eyes when Sun ran out of the room, "Sure."

~

"And... boom." Sun crossed his arms over his chest as he finished his explanation about how most faunus that lived in Vacuo has been dealing with the Faunus discrimination.

The passengers, that started to crowd around Sun, cheered and clapped his very 'pristine' explanation of their condition.

Blake giggled. This dinner-like buffet's turn of events has been positive so far. There was always someone talking to her, that can at least hold a normal conversation than the very over the roof excitement she gets with Sun around.

Sun had snuck a few glances her way every five seconds, trying to check if she was doing ok, which she highly appreciates. And whenever she caught him glancing, she rolls her eyes and giggles, him doing the same.

She looked down and started swirling the glass of water she was holding, finding it amusing when she's not doing anything in particular.

"Having fun?" 

Blake's head snapped up at the voice, quickly drawing her attention away from her glass of water and on the woman right in front of her.

The woman had very messy golden main of a hair tied up in a messy pony tail, aviators rested on her head. Her eyes covered by a black ribbon, but the soft glow of lilac behind the cloth, hid poorly their eye color and the claw-like scar on her right eye. Her smirk weighed a familiar sense of cockiness. The woman wore a shredded yellow cloak that was fading into the color black towards the bottom. A gold ring with small black designs as a necklace.

Blake's eyes went wide when she saw a prosthetic arm coming from inside the cloak to remove the black ribbon on her eyes, revealing vibrant lilac eyes. The soft glow it emitted earlier was understanding at how much brighter it was without the ribbon. Though it still showed the huge scar over her eye.

She started tying the ribbon on the wrist of her human arm, just above the golden bracelets.

"Belladonna?" She asked waving her prosthetic arm in front of her, snapping her out of her train of thought on how her scars had happened.

Blake shook her head, "Yes." She finally replies. She gave the goldilocks a suspicious look, "D-do I know you?" She confusingly asked.

The blondie shrugged, "Nope. But I definitely know you." She pointed at Blake.

"A human knowing a Belladonna? That isn't exactly... accurate..." She said with one eyebrow raised, her suspicion clearly growing with every word that came out.

The woman didn't seem to be bothered, "Yeah, about that..." She trailed off, "The only explanation I can give is that I know you through one of your team mates."

"Weiss?"

"Yang." She corrected.

And with that, Blake's heart ached at the mention of her name. The type of ache that made her eyes stingy and her vision blurry.

The woman grimaced and backed away a little, "Oh! I'm very sorry! I didn't know this was a very sensitive topic." She rambled.

"No, it's fine. You didn't know..." She said. This was probably starting to be an awkward conversation which she can't stand.

The woman cleared her throat, "For the last time, I'm sorry." Before Blake could talk back, she stopped herself when she saw the woman smile, genuinely, "I'm not really the type that can talk over... emotional stuff."

Blake chuckled humourlessly, "You and me both."

"Tell me about it." Blake's ears twitched hearing the small mutter, "So! I really should introduce myself."

Blake nodded, "Heya! The name is... classified. Though I go by the name Gold." The woman called Gold said, pointing a thumb on her chest, her prosthetic arm showing off her muscular biceps.

Blake started lightly laughing causing some eyes to turn their direction. Gold only smiled satisfyingly as she continued laughing softly.

"Smooth." Blake commented with another light laugh as she wiped the tear that formed.

Gold shrugged, "I mean I am Gold. My sister sometimes classify me as Butter or Cheese which is confusing, considering I shine?"

Blake laughed again, this time, she was laughing because of Gold's confusion over her own sister's antics and how the subject drastically changed. Something that reminded her of the siblings in her own team, if she could even call them her own.

Once she calmed down, she extended an arm out, "Good evening, Gold. I'm Blake which I guess you already knew that." She introduced, the light giggles still present in her words.

Blake shook Gold's metal arm, causing her to shake it uncomfortably.

Gold chuckled, she opened her mouth only for it to close again when a voice caught their attention.

"You ladies seems to be having fun." Sun walked over, one hand on his pocket and another hold a plate full of smoked salmon and fried rice, "Mind if I know why."

Blake furrowed her brow in confusion, "Where'd you get fried rice?" She asked as she eyed the rice cautiously.

"I made it."

"You had access to the cruise's kitchen? Impressive." Gold complimented only for Sun to shake his head and say,

"I snuck in."

"Ah. That explains it." She said dryly. Blake swear she heard a bit of annoyance in Gold's tone but quickly dismissed it and brush it off as her imagination.

Sun turns to Gold, "And who are you Miss Mysterious-cloak-figure-I-have-never-seen-on-the-ship-before."

"The name's classified and I go by Gold." The lack of optimism was as clear as crystal, raising flags inside Blake's mind.

Sun chuckled, "Gold. Hi. The name's Sun." He straightened his posture trying to sneakily be more taller than Gold, "I like the scar. Where'd you get it?"

"A faunus." She said flatly earning terrified looks from both Blake and Sun.

Blake took a step forward, "I am very sorry."

Gold brushed her off, "Pssh! It's alright! Besides that was years ago. This guy was just pissed I married his crush and caused an all out war."

"Gold? Hey. If you don't mind me asking, are you a huntress? And if so, where'd you come from?" Sun asked, his bubbly curiosity clearly started leaking out.

Gold smirked cockily, "Yup, professional huntress here. And I graduated from Beacon Academy."

"Wow! That's so cool!" Sun exclaimed, ignoring Blake's sudden tense-ness in the conversation, "Do you do missions? How many grimm have you killed? Oh! Are you in a mission right now?"

Gold waved, "Yup. I'm in a mission." Sun squealed, he was practically fangirl-ing at this point, "And part of that is why I talked.. to you." Gold pointed at Blake.

Blake and Sun raise an eyebrow, "Me?" 

"Yes, you." She confirmed, nodding to herself and placed both of her hands on her hips. Revealing the clothing she had in the inside and her prosthetic arm,

"Your in danger."

~ Y ~

"Dad!" Yang called out through the burning ashes inside the house.

The only thing she was getting in reply was grunting and the sound of gun shooting and glass-like shards impaling on something or braking into pieces. This has been going on for the past four minutes.

Yang was in her room, on her feet and was sweating either from the flames or her fear daring to creep in her senses.

She clenched her jaw when she heard barking but the noise of fighting still continued.

Her eyes drifted to her cabinet and her mind betrayed her.

She felt like she was starting to lose breath. Everything was a swirl and she felt fuzzy, her surrounding started changing from wood to concrete the flames still present.

Her hand shook violently when she saw Adam standing in front of her. Her heart jumped out of her chest and she tumbled back on her bed, her eyes now shining a bright red color.

She grunted and slowly stood back up again, her eyes refusing to change back.

'Not right now, hallucinations. We're getting ambushed here..'

Her eyes drifted back to her cabinet. She hesitated at first, not because of the fire --she never minds the heat--- but because of what she's gonna do next.

She shook her head and ran into fire and grabbed the metal arm on top of the cabinet and purple bandana beside it.

She quickly attached the arm and rolled her jacket's sleeve up as she tied the purple bandana on her bicep. She opened the cabinet's first drawer and instinctively grabbed the golden bracelet and the belt, a patch full of ammo.

Yang's bracelet shifted into a gauntlet, after months of avoiding to use the weapon that wasn't strong enough to stop someone dear to her from running away.

Yang's semblance was practically activated at this point, considering the flames had blazed when she ran through them.

She rode down the stair's handle to get downstairs faster.

There she saw her father fighting a girl with broad shoulders and green hair, her eyes closed as she fought with only her bare hands.

Zwei ran up to her and barked. She nodded and the dog and followed him outside.

Before she could touch the handle though a snake appeared on top of it. Zwei jumped up and caught the sudden flash of the snake's eyes turning him into stone.

Mental note: avoid the snake's flashes.

She caught the poor dog and smashed the snake into a mush before she looked over her shoulder to see her father in stone and the girl with green hair smirking her way.

"Who are you?!" She shouted.

Though her question was never answered when her window broke open quickly knocking the green haired girl unconscious by the body that flew inside the house.

She stared in shock when a man started rising from the unconscious green haired lady.

The man looked over her shoulder and started walking towards her cautiously, as if he was about to get beaten in the ass.

Yang raised a hand and was about to shoot but the man crosses his arms and shook his head violently,

"Iamnotanenemydon'tyoudareshootmeYang!"

Yang stopped in her tracks. That convinced her and she doesn't know why. She let out a very exhausted breath and fell down.

She was panting heavily, either from the adrenaline wearing out or the heat consuming her oxygen.

The man nodded and ran over to her father then back to her, Zwei and Tai over his shoulders. He looked a little frantic, which is never a good sign in fire.

He extended his arm and Yang took it without hesitation.

When she was up to her feet, her breathing stopped and she tumbled back down.

She was on her knees, trying to get air in her lungs. Her eyes wide open when she felt like she was suffocating. Her head started throbbing, it was a small headache at first but it turned into a banging. She held one hand on her temple trying to sooth it down.

She groaned and curled up in a small ball. Once on the ground, she felt numb. The only thing on her vision was a black haired faunus standing with her back facing her and a bull faunus with a katana coming closer towards them.

"Yang!" A new voice called her name out. Her vision went dark but she saw the light in the end.

She furrowed her brow and tried to run towards it. Nothing changed and the light was still at the distance. Her breathing shifted into small and sharp, her hand on her chest soothing the aching pain.

The light walked over to her, well, ran to her, "Yang..." The voice softly said, several octaves following its wake.

She felt herself being grabbed and lifted up, "Hey..." The darkness started fading into the light, "You're alright..." The voice assured, "We're here...." Yang felt her cheeks wet but she brushed it off. She wrapped her arms around the person's neck, holding them tight, 

"We wont leave..."

~

Yang groaned as she sat up.

"What happened..?" She muttered, rubbing her sore neck.

Her eyes wandered the room, only to find she was not inside her house. She was on a black bed, bottom bunk.

Inside the room was two bunk beds, she was one of them. Across the bed she laid was another bunk bed, white blankets on the bottom and red on top.

The sound of clicking made her head turn to the door. 

"You're awake." The girl said. Yang felt her cheeks heat up a little at the sight.

There stood a very beautiful faunus. Black hair looking silk and smooth that she can feel the texture from afar, the length reaching their shoulders. Her eyes amber gold, shining brightly behind her narrowed eyes. She wore a plain black baggy shirt and very short yellow shorts. The black ring necklace quickly catching her eye.

The girl furrowed her lips and walked over to her. She looked a little confused but the worry took over her expression. She sat down just beside where Yang had sat up.

Yang swallowed when she felt her hands on top of her hand, "You ok?" She suddenly felt her throat dry hearing the soothing voice this close.

She shook her head and averted her eyes, "Y-yes..." And of course her voice had to crack talking with this beautiful goddess, "Where am I?"

"In a hut outside Remnant." Yang's head snapped back to the beauty. The girl caught up to the next question and replied, "There are people hunting you and your Team down."

Yang furrowed her brow, "White Fang?"

She shook her head, "No... I can't tell you who it is but we're here to keep sure your safe. We're here to keep your team safe."

Yang let out a breathy sigh, "Are you alright?" The girl asked, her voice wavered concern.

Yang held her hand up and rubbed her temple, "No... a little dizzy..."

"I'll tell the others not to come in. You need to rest."

Before the girl stood up, she held her hand and tugged the girl closer, "The others?"

The girl smiled softly, "My team and a few of your friends and family." Yang let go of her arm. The girl scanned Yang up and down, "You want to see them?"

Yang gave her a small smile and nodded her head. The girl ushered her to lay down and she did as she was said so.


	4. Escaped

**R**

The white haired girl turned around with record speed and looked directly into Ruby's silver eyes.

Ice met mirrors.

The two of them stared quietly at each other, not knowing what to say next. If anything, it was obvious that the two of them were surprised, but it wasn't really clear why.

"Weiss?" Ruby repeated, suddenly feeling the urge to run and hug at the taller person.

Before she could move in her position though. The white haired girl shook her head and fully turned towards the three, her expression drastically changed.

She neatly clasped both of her hands behind her back and stared with intent at the three. The kind of persona she was imitating shouted military.

Ruby swallowed by the sudden change of mood. She internally smacked herself for being such a dolt, her hope was quickly distinguished and stepped on. She straightened herself and waited for the girl to say something.

"Who the hell are you?" That was more than expected. Uncle Qrow asked.

The girl sighed and turned from left to right, looking at the series of destroyed trees to where Jaune was thrown at, more importantly, she was expecting someone to jump out of the bushes and attack.

She raised both of her hands towards the direction of Nora and Jaune.

Qrow levelled his weapon towards her. Accurate reaction for someone who doesn't know what was going on.

To Ruby, she didn't feel alarmed by her presence. The last she checked, they knew nothing about each other and had only just met, for her to feel like this is either a semblance or just their charm.

Dismissing Qrow's actions, the girl continued doing her thing. Before Uncle Qrow asked her again, Nora and Jaune's bodies floated towards them on top of icy blue glyphs.

Ren quickly ran to his team's aid as soon as she safely sat them down.

After fishing something inside the small pocket, she tossed Ren two vials containing some kind of green fluid before she turned her attention back to Qrow and Ruby.

"I can't explain this without my partner's opinion." She finally replies, "The only thing I was instructed was... 'shoo off the bad guy and help the goodies'..." She replied rather tiredly as if she had been repeating those words over and over in her head just to get the message right.

"What are these for?" Came Ren's voice.

"Let then drink that. It'll restore a portion of their aura and help them heal faster."

He narrowed his eyes, "How can I be sure this isn't poison?"

She shrugged, "If your not letting them take it, I'm not going to be carrying them." Her tone was very relaxed for someone that weighed that much royalty in her voice.

That made Ren click. He hesitantly let his team drink the vile.

She turned, "My partner will be here in a few minutes. In the meantime, are you all ok?"

"Everything's fine here." Qrow answered before Ruby even utter a word, "The one thing that's not fine is you. Who are you and why are you wearing... that." He said, gesturing the all of her.

The girl looked reluctant but still answered, "I don't know what to call myself, but I'm sure my partner will know about that. As for the other question...." She trailed off, scanning herself from boots to hair shrugging a little, "Because I like it..?"

Ruby let out a small giggle.

He grumbled something under his breath, "But don't think I'll get my eyes off of you." He pointed two of his fingers towards her.

When he walked towards Ren and the others, Ruby smiled to herself and sprinted towards the girl. Her smile didn't fade when she was at close proximity, her hands clasped behind her.

The girl turned to her with an amused expression. This made Ruby raise a brow, she felt like this girl knew her and who she really was.

"What?" The girl asked, the amusement still clear.

Ruby pouted a little and stood straight. She cleared her throat and prepared for her not-so-much announcement, "So, what's your weapon?"

The girl lightly chuckled which made Ruby's smile brighter. The girl shook her head, "I don't have a weapon."

Ruby's eyes shined, "Woah! That's so cool!" She cheered, "Your semblance must be strong if you don't have any weapon. Just like Yang's! She's my sister and her semblance makes her stronger with each hit!"

The girl playfully rolled her eyes, "Of course you'd think of me that way..." She muttered, "No, Ruby. My semblance just makes me summon glyphs."

And again, her eyes shined, "Your semblance is so much just like Weiss'! She's amazing, by the way." She added the last part with a wink.

"Wait. You know me?" Ruby added, just now realising the girl had called her by her name.

"How could I not?" The regal shined behind her words, "Ruby Rose, the huntress in training that froze a giant wavern at the Fall of Beacon."

Ruby blushed but shook her head. She started rubbing the side of her arm sheepishly, suddenly feeling shy around her.

Before words were exchanged, something on her beeped causing everyone to look her way.

Ruby watched how the corner of the girl's lips reached her eyes. She must really like the beeping making her smile this wide and bright.

The girl raised one hand, summoning yet again, the holographic screen. This time it showed a picture of a brunette smiling brightly at the camera leaving no room for background.

The two had a very cheery conversation, revealing a few things to Ruby and the others. One of that was the girl's name, or the name she was being called, and the name of her partner.

White and Red.

"Who was that?" Qrow asked. Ruby turned around to find him helping poor Jaune stand up. He looked drunk the way he swayed from left to right. Nora was already back in shape with Ren looking more relieved than she had ever seen him be.

White looked over her shoulder with the same bright smile, "My partner." She simply replied before she started walking to south. Ruby and the others following closely behind her.

"Your partner? The one you were talking with earlier?" Jaune asked.

White nodded, "Call her Red. She's our team leader."

"Oh cool." Came Jaune's reply before he slouched and transferred all his weight to Qrow.

The six of them walked silently towards South. The sun was setting in the distance as they walked further in the forest.

They heard a twig snap and all six of them abruptly stopped like they had just stepped into a trap.

Preparing their weapons, all of them stayed alert for another ambush. Well, all of them except White.

Rose petals bursts out from one of the bushes and went straight for White, tackling her to the ground before she could even react. 

"WHITE!" Came the greeting of a very high pitched voice.

When they heard White giggled in response, that's when all of them relaxed and sheathe their weapons.

They watched as a girl with red cloak, which could only be Red, gave White a bunch of nuzzles as a greeting.

"Red?" White said gesturing towards Ruby and the others.

Red let out an amused 'oh' before bursting into petals and appearing right in front of the group's view.

She waved at them, a wave that was somewhat directed towards Ruby, but they still waved back, just in case.

Red looked over her shoulder, "You can come out!"

Ruby's head snapped towards where Red had just burst out of. Her eyes widen at the sight of a familiar heiress trying so hard to get her skirt untangle from the bush's branches.

Ruby took one step forward. Everyone around her went quiet, already knowing what Ruby might do next.

She felt her eyes water once she looked up and directly connecting with Ruby's gaze.

Seeing the same reaction she just had on Weiss' face made Ruby chuckle a bit.

Weiss took one step forward and Ruby did the same, a warm smile spread across Ruby's face welcoming her partner in her life again.

Before Ruby could react, however, Weiss already started dashing towards her.

She jumped and wrapped her arms around Ruby's neck tightly, Ruby doing the same on Weiss' waist. She buried her face on her neck, rubbing the soft skin with her nose.

Weiss' grip tighten as if she had done confirming Ruby was real and she was in her arms again.

The wetness Ruby felt on her cheeks made her sniffle. She buried her face more into Weiss' soft hair murmuring a few unknown words which only Weiss understood.

Weiss chuckled lightly, "Your such a dunce..." She said. A few seconds of silence later, a tear fell down her own cheek, "I missed you too..." She whispered.

The two of them only broke apart when one of the guys cleared their throat. Blushes evident on both of their cheeks when separated.

Ruby clapped her hands, cringing when she realised how loud the sound was, "Alright. Introductions. Let's introduce ourselves!" She said, more enthusiastically than she'd expected.

She waved towards the people across her and Weiss, "Hi. My name's Ruby Rose," She gestured towards Weiss, "This is my partner, Weiss Schnee. Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. Top in all of our classes. Best fencer in Beac-- Ow!"

Ruby was cut off when she was hit on the head. She rubbed her head and turned to Weiss to find her blushing violently.

"You dolt!" She exclaimed, " _Why_ does my introduction have specific definitions!?" Her flustered state became too much obvious.

Ruby rubbed her head again, pouting as she turned her attention fully towards Weiss, "I'm sorry! I can't help it!"

Weiss stared at Ruby for a few more seconds before she looked away, muttering a few words.

"If somebody asked her. Ruby might as well take the whole day just to describe how she sees Weiss Schnee in a 'friendlier' way." Nora said with a shrug.

Jaune nodded in agreement, "Typical Ice-flowers."

Weiss scoffed.

"Riiiight..." Red turned towards Qrow, "Qrow. Hi. Red. White. I've heard you have questions?"

"First of all, who were those idiots that tried to kidnap my niece?"

"Those were part of the members from the Bla--.. White Fang." She quickly corrected herself then cleared her throat, "We found out not too long ago that their leader wants the members of Team RWBY dead. The reasons are unknown."

This made Ruby turn her full attention towards their conversation, "Yang and Blake! What about them?! Yang's at Patch with Dad and Zwei and Blake!.. Blake is nowhere..."

Red laughed lightly, "Oh don't worry about them. The rest of my team is already on it." She said proudly, "The bees are gonna meet us at the hut. So we gotta get going now before they complain about how I'm always late."

"And Mistral?" Qrow asked.

Red turned to him, "Right. Mistral." She took one glance White's way clearly in need of support.

"Qrow and the rest of Team JNR could go there."

"Tsk. There's no way I'm letting you get away with my niece." He reasoned, completely ignoring the existence of Weiss Schnee, "What if your just making all of this up?"

Red groaned, "Qrow, go. Find the Spring Maiden and get the Relic of Kno--." Red and Qrow's eyes went wide. Red limped forward, "Oops..."

"How do _you_ know about the Maidens? About the relics?"

"No time to explain. Just go to Mistral and find a farm boy with green eyes." She instructed him with more seriousness in her eyes, "You still have Ozpin's cane right?"

Qrow's brows knitted together as he stared back into Red's silver eyes, "Silver eyes..." He murmured then sighed, "You know everything, do you?"

"Oh I know _more_ than everything."

"Red." White warned, one hand on Red's shoulder.

She sighed, "Just go with Team JNR." Her tone drastically changed with White's hand on her shoulder, "Tell Ozpin about our situation."

Qrow nodded. He turned to Team JNR and the four of them took off.

**B**

She stared at Gold like she was expecting the blonde to tell her it was all a joke, that she was not in danger. But it didn't look like she was joking. That stern look says the opposite of joking.

Beside her, Sun took a step forward his hand covering her protectively, "Are you from the White Fang?" He asked with the same amount of stern.

Gold stared attentively at them. Her hands never moving from her hips.

She shrugged, "Nah." She said with a light laugh, "I'm not part of the White Fang. But the one thing I'm apart of is my team and that team was given a mission to make sure your safe. I'll be waiting on the cruise's front when your ready to go."

Blake reached out and grabbed her wrists, "Ready to go where?"

Gold looked around her, "Your not safe here, nor safe in Menagerie." Gold looked down and met with her amber eyes, "I promise you this... I'll be here when you need me and I wont go anywhere."

Gold smiled warmly at her before she loosen her grip. She felt her heart flutter with each step Gold took.

Those words. Why were those words so familiar...

Blake flinched when she felt hands on her shoulder. She turned around and threatened to unsheathe her Gambol.

Sun held his hands up in his defense, "Woah, Blake! Easy there, it's just me. Sun!"

Blake sighed and let go of the handle, she looked over her shoulder for the last time to find Gold already gone. Another sigh escaped her lips.

"She's vague, I can say that." Sun commented, his eyes still locked on the trail.

"No, she isn't" was what Blake wanted to reply. That was what she wanted to say to defend Gold, because she understood what she actually meant. But she really didn't know why, and that worries her if Sun hears her.

She balled her fist and gave it a small squeeze, "I'm gonna go with her..."

Sun opened his mouth, "And your coming with me." She cut him off already knowing he'd argue.

When she looked up she saw the realisation sink inside Sun's head. The emotions shifting from the look in his eyes.

She smiled when she saw a familiar spark of adventure. He was in.

He nodded enthusiastically with a huge grin and a thumbs up.

She laughed to herself. Her thoughts were filled with Sun just being a huge dork. An adorable dork for that fact.

The two started walking towards the other end of the cruise. Finding Gold and going with her to the place she says it was safe.

Quickly spotting the girl with golden locks, they ran towards her without hesitation. Well, without hesitation for Blake than Sun.

"Gold!" Sun called out.

The girl quickly turned around and held her hands up.

Blake and Sun stopped in their tracks, confused by her sudden demand. She looked like she had just heard a ghost and saw an apathy.

Gold slowly shook her head while mouthing, 'Don't come any closer...'

'Why?' Understanding the situation, Blake mouthed back.

'Someone's here.'

Gold moved her cloak to her back using it as a cape. They saw how the golden bracelets shifted into a gauntlet while the prosthetic shifted into something similar.

Gold kneeled, "Get down!" As soon as Blake and Sun ducked, she launched herself by the recoil of her weapon.

Blake turned and was greeted by Gold's cape. She backed away to see Gold defending her from the blow.

Gold fired her shotgun and the man backed away. She grabbed Blake and Sun's tail, running to the direction of the boat's front.

Jumping on the boat's edge, a portal appeared.

Her surroundings grew quiet when they entered. The sound of grass blowing with wind greeted her with a dose of peacefully chirping birds.

She slowly opened her eye and saw she was facing the grass that was too far for someone laying on it, that's when she realised she was being carried over something very firm.

A blush crept her cheeks realising what position she was in and cursed under her breath.

Gold sighed a breath of relief before she slowly but surely placed Blake to her feet.

Satisfied that there were no scratches between the two, she smiled warmly and motioned her head toward the direction of the woods.

Blake turned her head to the side only finding out that they ended up on the cliff. A cliff very high from the ground. Her ears twitched at the sound of waves guessing they were on a cliff on top of a beach.

When she turned around though, her heart momentarily stopped at the sight.

A single gravestone near the very edge of the cliff. She saw a familiar rose emblem embedded on the stone. The sight over it was completely heartbreaking, the remains of Beacon.

This gave her a mix of emotions that started swirling in her stomach. She felt the sudden need of release but she didn't know how to. The emotions were confusing her and that was never a good sign.

Gold placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched and turned around, slapping the hand as she did so. She looked down on her feet, completely regretting her sudden snap.

Her ears pinned down her head, silently asking for forgiveness.

Gold smiled and placed her hand back on her shoulder. She leaned a little down, meeting with Blake's eyes, "You know where we are?"

Blake merely nodded but that was all the answer Gold needed.

Her hand slid down Blake's arm before she grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Blake's head snapped up, completely meeting with Gold's lilac eyes. This interaction. The feeling of the squeeze. The sudden rush of warmth from her hand. The comfort...

The way Gold raised her brow and smirked cheekily at Blake filled her with reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

Whatever Gold was doing to her, she was loving it.

Gold motioned behind her with her head again and that was all Blake needed to know that she wont be yelled at, wont be judged at.

Sun ran towards them quickly falling into step beside them, his hands behind his head.

"So how'd you do _that_?" He glanced towards her as he asked.

Gold turned her attention towards him and gave him a competitive grin. She waved her biotic arm, "Would you believe that it came from this thing and not my semblance?"

Sun's eyes practically shined as he scanned the arm up and down, "No way."

She nodded, "Yes way." She chuckled a little, "I had my sister attach small weapon things inside here. And by small things, I mean everything she came up with."

"That's so cool! I wish I had an arm just like that!" He fist pumped with the air.

She looked at him, amused, "Yeah. I wouldn't actually be happy with the process. Having your arm cut off isn't a really good experience." She shook her head.

"That reminds me, how _did_ you get your arm cut off?"

"Sun!" Blake hissed at his insensitiveness. This was completely unacceptable, the story behind it might be really sensitive and she doesn't want that, knowing full well how painful it is to explain something that meant so much.

Gold's small glance Blake's way didn't go unnoticed to the monkey faunus, that small glance quickly sent flags inside his head.

She shrugged, "I wouldn't say it wasn't an emotional rollercoaster, but it was definitely a HANDful." She winked at the two faunus sending them finger guns with her metal arm.

Sun laughed, all his suspicion quickly washing washing away.

"Really?" Blake deadpanned. This wasn't really the time to make puns.

Gold shrugged one shoulder, "What? I mean, it was PUNny, right?" She winked again.

Sun's laughter rose and Blake groaned.

"Of course you make puns." Blake muttered, now considering Ruby's theory about how all blondes were always so punful.

Disregarding Blake's small complaint, Gold stopped and looked around. Her expression looked as if she was expecting someone.

They grew silent when Gold held her arm up and it projected a holographic screen. Sun letting out a small 'awesome' as he watched Gold do her thing.

Frowning she closed the screen and took another look around her.

"Is something wrong?" Blake asked, taking one step closer her hand almost tried to reach out and take it's place on her shoulder as if they'd been doing it for a long time.

Gold shook her head but still continued looking around. She ran her hand through her mane of a hair -- If that's what she called it, "Nope. They're just late."

"Um, who's late?" Sun asked, looking around his surroundings as he said. He suspiciously looked back at her, "This isn't some kind of trap, right?"

"Nope."

A few seconds later Gold's arm beeped and she smirked. The bushes in front of her rustled and she didn't move a muscle.

A woman walked out of the bushes.

Their eyes -- minus Gold -- widen at the sight of a raven-haired woman walking out of the bushes. Something about her made Sun blush blazing hot.

When the woman noticed them, she smirked, the kind where you can feel that she's showing that she knows something that you don't. She walked over, her small strut struck them like they were watching a model do her magic.

Her amber eyes not wavering towards Blake nor Sun. She was staring Gold down like she was trying to tame a very huge dragon.

Gold chuckled, "Someone's late."

She rolled her eyes, "No I'm not." She narrowed her eyes when she stopped at a very close distance. Pointing one finger on Gold's chest, she giggled as she said, " _You_ are just early."

Gold snorted, "Like that will ever happened." She whispered.

Both Blake and the girl's ears twitched at the same time. Their other side alerting.

Blake stiffened when the girl's amber eyes landed on hers. The way she quietly stared at her made her suddenly not want to breath, like she didn't deserve breathing the same air as she was.

Thankfully, not all people froze under such intimidating gaze. Sun walked between them and waved at the beauty smiling widely.

"Hi! The name's Sun, what about you?" He asked, reaching one hand out for her to shake.

The girl hesitated. She glanced at Gold before she shook his hand, nodding slightly, "Belle. Nice to meet you, Sun."

Sun looked like he was floating in cloud nine by Belle's acknowledgement. That would be a good time to intervene before he says something he'll regret later.

Blake stood beside him and smiled at Belle reaching her own hand out, "Nice to meet you too, Belle. I'm Blake."

She playfully raised a brow, "So I've heard."

Gold placed a hand on Belle's shoulder making her look over her shoulder.

"Did you get her?"

Belle scoffed, "Of course I did." She playfully hissed, "We made it in time, but she fainted as soon as everything sunk in. Olive is watching over her while she rests. I'll immediately check on her once we get back."

Gold let out a breath, "That's great news knowing it was a medusa that tried to take her."

Belle stared before she started giggling at Gold's small joke.

Gold smiled looking satisfied making her start giggling. She nudged Belle's side making her giggles turn more lively.

Both of them stopped their tickle war, -- which was mostly Gold -- when something beeped.

Projecting the holoscreen again, Gold swiped to the side showing an incoming call. A brunette greeted their entire screen.

"Where are you guys?!" Came her high pitched voice.

"Just as when I was trying out my moves." Gold grumbled. The girl on the other side pouted while Belle giggled again.

"Whatever, just know that we're already here. Code names are Red and White." Announced the brunette as she slowly backed away from the camera showing another girl, this time the girl had white hair.

Gold nodded, "Gotcha. Gold and Belle are ours."

Belle seemed pleased when the call ended. She turned to the two teenagers, "Are you guys ready to go?"


	5. The Hut

"Where did you say this 'hut' of yours is located?" Weiss asked.

Red looked over her shoulder and smiled at the heiress, completely melting her cold persona. She then chuckled sheepishly, "Well... it's kinda..."

"It's just on the coast outside of Remnant." White concluded.

Ruby's eyes shined, "There's land outside Remnant?!" The way Ruby's awe shined through her character was almost too blinding in Weiss' case.

White and Red giggled and nodded at the same time.

"We'll be riding on our airship." Red started skipping, her hands on her back, "It was custom made just for our team's success over the years, parts were collected from inside and outside of Remnant."

Weiss raised her brow, "Why are you explaining us this all of the sudden?"

"You never know. Considering the times other people in Remnant and from the Outlands see our airship, there's always questions to ask."

"Part of those are, how did we make it and where did we get each part."

The way Red and White explained their airship was something to get jealous over, they complete each others sentences without a hitch and knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Now that she thinks of it, another relationship she considered that has the same dynamic was her and Ruby.

One glance Ruby's way, she quickly averted her eyes when she saw Ruby looking at the exact same time she did. That's... unexpected.

"We're here!" Came Red's voice.

Weiss broke her train of thought and focused at the person in front of her, or rather, the direction where Red was pointing.

She deadpanned.

"Is this supposed to be a joke?" She flatly said. Her posture slumping forward.

She was expecting something high-tech by how fond their explanation was. Atlesian is in her list. Instead she was staring at a clearing, nothing but plain grass and flowers were presented.

Red giggled and White stared at her, the amusement was clearly present.

She turned to her partner with a confused look, only for it to be replicated in Ruby's face.

Ruby shrugged with eyes closed before she turned back to the clearing. Weiss still stared at her, as if she was waiting for a reaction.

White started walking towards the clearing, "No, Weiss. This isn't supposed to be a joke."

Red followed her, quickly falling into step. She turned around, walking backwards with her hands behind her back, "It's just cloaking!" She announced rather enthusiastically.

With another glance Ruby's way, the two of them followed the huntresses to the clearing.

"Rose, open the hatch." White called out.

Then they saw it. The compact, beautiful dark red airship. A door slid open and stairs dropped down from the walkway.

Ruby and Weiss stared for a few minutes at the ship before Ruby flashed a huge grin and ran towards the walkway. Before she entered, she turned around and made eye contact with Weiss.

She started doing small hops, "C'mon, Weiss!" Her smile was already enough for Weiss to follow.

Weiss started walking towards the ship, Ruby bursts into rose petals and dashed inside leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake. She softly shook her head.

She fell in step between Red and White as the three of them walked calmly inside the ship. Ruby's energy already affecting the whole ship.

"Welcome back, R–"

"Rose." Red quickly cut in, "Please call us Red and White."

"Affirmative. What about the others? What would you prefer I'd call them?" 

She shrugged, "I don't know. Just update once they say so."

"Affirmative. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Fly us to the 'hut'." She said as she walked towards the airship's lobby a table coming out of the floor showing a map of Remnant and beyond, "Look around the current location for anything suspicious before landing, relocate as soon as you detect something suspicion and send the new address to each member's scrolls."

Weiss watched Red state orders in awe. Every word that came out of her mouth sounded so sure as if she'd been doing this for a long time.

"Show the terrain." A valley projected from the table slowly rotating around for Red to scan. Satisfied, she waved her hand and the holographic valley disappeared. 

"Woah." Weiss turned to her right to find Ruby standing close beside her, her eyes were shining with the same awe she has while she watched the older huntress do her thing. Ruby then turned to her, "Weiss! Look!" She turned to where Ruby was pointing, "It's Atlesian Tech!"

She was right. It _was_ Atlesian Tech. How did they get it was the question that popped up.

Red turned towards the two with a grin, "How'd yah know? These kinds aren't really well known from people outside Atlas."

"Are you kidding me!?" Ruby exclaimed, "Everyone in Signal watches scientists from Atlas do their magic, the things we learn were adapted to our weapons!"

Weiss stared at her in shock. She never knew Ruby knew this much about Atlesian Tech, or any technology. Well, she never really asked her. Maybe she should next time.

Red chuckled, "Figures."

"Why are you not that shocked?" Weiss asked.

"I graduated there too!"

Ruby beamed and squealed, "No way!" She darted towards her, "What's your weapon? Is it a scythe like mine?!" She unsheathe Crescent Rose from her back showing it smugly at Red.

"You? A scythe wielder?" Red unsheathe her own scythe from her back, "Me too!"

Ruby squealed again, "Oh my god we have similar designs!" She shook her head, "But yours looks so high tech! What's in it!? What's in it?!"

"Nothing much. Just a accessible patch and an advanced screen that connects to my team's AI, Rose and my scroll. The patch can fit small stuff like cards and candy."

Weiss almost scoffed, "Candy? Why would you need candy?"

"Don't ask." White answered. Her tone sounded bored and dragging as if there was a long essay that was about to be said. But she didn't question it.

"Three heat signatures are identified inside the hut." Rose's voice came in.

White took a step forward, "Identify."

The table lights turned red.

"One of the signature is moving out of the house." Rose announced yet again.

"Pull out one of the drones and give us a clear image." Another beep ringed and a live stream appeared from the table.

The drone was traveling at high speeds, quickly reaching at the location. There it showed a raven haired faunus with something in her hand.

Red let a breath escape her lips, "Rose. Why would you do that." She stated more than asked.

The machine started giggling and White rolled her eyes.

Weiss cocked a brow, "Why is the machine giggling?"

"Please address me as Rose." Weiss gave the nearby camera an apologetic look and it beeped as a response.

" _Someone_ on our team said that it would be good that we program Rose some choices. They said that when the ship gets overboard, the AI would have the chance to distract the enemy while we think of a plan to get back to our ship." White explained.

Red cleared her throat, "But, Rose here, always ends up pranking us."

The ship beeped in joy, "Yeah. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Pssh! Tell me about it..." Red grumbled.

"We've arrived at our destination."

The ship did a few shakes before it settled in a loud thud. The hatch they entered opened again and the stairs latched down to the grass.

Red and Ruby darted out the ship with trails of rose petals following their steps.

Whit giggled and Weiss rolled her eyes.

Before the both of them got down, the ship had a few questions for the last ones on board.

"White." Rose said, the prince quickly turned around, "One of the bees sent a signal. They said they needed a ride, two stowaways are with them."

White nodded and Rose beeped in response.

When they reached the ground, the ship's cloaking did it's thing before the grass around it started flowing by the sudden propel of wind.

Weiss looked at White from the corner of her eyes, "Are we supposed to..."

She shook her head and smiled, "Let that ship be. We really don't have that much control over her, not as much control as the siblings. Or rather, the blonde in the group."

"Isn't Red the..."

"Yes she is." White stifled a giggle, "But Rose often chooses her older sister than the person that made her."

"Why are you guys so slow?! We're almost there!" Ruby exclaimed, appearing beside Weiss in a burst of rose petals.

White looked at her in amusement while Weiss looked relieved yet slightly annoyed, "It isn't a race, Ruby."

She grabbed Weiss' arm, shaking it excitingly, "But, Weiss! Have you seen the hologram?! The mountains looked so amazing from that angle!"

"Why don't you go first?"

She shook her head, "I want _us_ to them. Not me before you." She leaned more closer towards Weiss, nudging her sightly, "We're partners, after all."

Weiss' cheeks tainted pink, slowly starting to heat up by Ruby's few words. It was us. She doesn't know why but it always made her heart soar hearing the same words Ruby told her back at Beacon.

She could still remember it as clear as day the times Ruby told her those exact words. It never seized to amaze her.

She slowly smiled and leaned more into Ruby's touch, "Of course you think that way...." Her muttered words contained content and comfort, that in turn, made Ruby's cheek pink.

Red waved at them when a wooden two story house came into view.

Weiss cocked a brow and turned to the prince beside her, "You said it was a hut." She pointed towards house, " _That_ is a house. A two story house." Ruby snorted.

White still had that amused grin on her face, "It is a hut."

She knitted her brows, "I don't think you know what a hut really is."

"It's not me your supposed to tell." She bobbed her head towards her partner, "She calls that place a hut because it's made of wood."

Weiss turned towards the impatiently waiting leader who was pouting with her arms crossed over her chest and feet rapidly moving up and down. She sighed.

Ruby shook her one hand pointing towards the taller mountain, "Weiss, look!" She looked up and saw that the mountain was tall enough that the sun was visible but still shaded them, "There's snow at the top!"

She giggled and rolled her eyes, "Of course there is, Ruby. As you climb a mountain to a higher altitude, the atmosphere gets thinner. That's because air pressure de–" She stopped herself when she realised that Ruby wasn't listening to a thing she said and she huffed.

The three of them entered the house. They were greeted by a huge mess that was coming from the kitchen.

White sighed, "OLIVE!" She called, her voice echoing throughout the house.

A boy poked his head from the kitchen looking guilty as ever.

Tan skin and green eyes. The boy looked familiar with his white and messy hair that was combed to one side.

"Guys! You're here!" He walked over with a nervous laugh, "...Why?"

White face palmed, while Red started cleaning the mess.

"Olive." She started sternly, "We have a mission. Remember?" She smiled, but it was the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Olive made an 'o' face.

"Is he always that..." Weiss trailed off, then turned her attention to Ruby who was already helping Red and Olive clean.

"Stupid? Yes... yes he is."

"I wouldn't say stupid..." Red said, rubbing the back of her head, thinking, "He's just covering his tracks." She added with a shrug.

White literally dashed over to the brunette and gave her a smacking, "You are not helping!"

The girl pouted as she tried rubbing the pain off, giving White some kind of puppy eyes that screamed for forgiveness.

She crossed her arms, "Don't give me that look." She glared at the boy who caused the spillage.

Olive smiled, he showed he wasn't sorry for what he's done ticking the prince off. Red and him started snickering when White started walking out of the house.

Out of her giggling state, Red ran after her partner. Shouting some light banter while she was at it, then she slammed the door shut behind her.

"Are they always like that?" Weiss asked finishing up cleaning the huge mess of noodles and some sort of soup on the floor.

He shrugged, "Yep." He said and turned to her, he grabbed the broom from her hands, "They've been doing that for years. Once you get used to it, it's kinda cute to look at."

The door bursts open again with a tomato steaming White and a pleased sparkling Red. That doesn't look like they should really know what happened.

Red then called someone on her scroll. A scarred blonde and a goddess of a brunette. Gold and Belle were their names. The two looked like a really powerful couple standing close beside each other.

They said that they'll be arriving in a short amount of time with two other 'stowaways'.

"Weiss!" She turned to the voice and gave a small smile.

Ruby ran towards her carrying her scythe on one hand. Her eyes were shining bright, something good was about to happen, for Ruby. Probably not for Weiss...

She started bouncing up and down on her toes when she stopped in front of the heiress, "Red told me to meet her outside for a duel!"

Weiss smile grew wider, "That's great, Ruby."

She held her hand out and giggled when Weiss gave her a confused stare. She bobbed her head towards the door, "C'mon! I want you to watch!"

Without another second thought, she held Ruby's hand and the two burst into rose petals. They burst back when they reached outside, giggling.

Ruby beamed when she saw her giggle and that made Weiss' heart warmer.

The two red heads clash. Ruby seemed to be at a disadvantage, Red knows what she's doing with each strike of her scythe the older brunette has some sort of strategy. She used her scythe like it was a sword, a bow or a shield.

Red's fighting style though is almost the same as Ruby, she just knows how to use her scythe as a scythe and not a sword like what Ruby was doing.

Their par were always moving, mostly they were airborne only a few seconds were they on the ground.

One thing Weiss noticed was Red's semblance. Petal burst was it? It was almost the same as Ruby's speed semblance. 

Weiss saw how Red smirked when she pushed Ruby backwards. The younger scythe wielder propelled herself towards her, her scythe behind her back for momentum.

When at a close distance, Red ducked her scythe shifted into a gun and she used that gun to shove it in the dirt as she twirled around the tall post in a blur of roses before she burst back and kicked Ruby square in the gut.

Her compact sniper rifle turned back into the scythe and she leaned on her weapon cockily.

She nods to herself proudly, "Use the opponents momentum against them. I have a friend to thank for that piece of advice."

Ruby groaned rubbing her head, "Does this friend of yours use an umbrella as a weapon."

Red laughs and walks towards the red head and reached her hand out, "Don't jinx it." Ruby grabbed the hand and helped herself stand up.

Ruby laughed but when she saw Red's serious face she backtracked her steps and stared confusingly, "Wait. You're serious?"

"Pfft-! No..." She hesitantly answered.

"Liar." Weiss says as she approached them. She walked towards Ruby and flicked the small piece of dirt on her shoulder and ruffles her hair slightly with an amused smile on her face.

Red turned to her right when the sound of someone doing a bad impression of an eagle echoed through the woods. She smiles brightly and speeds towards the direction but returns as soon as she ran.

"TELLWHITEGOLDANDBELLEAREHEREIGOTTAGONOWBYE!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updates and has the motivation to write
> 
> If there are any requests that is dedicated to future chapters, I am happy to oblige :)


	6. Stowaways! (B)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wew... finally updated...
> 
> to make up for lost time, this one's a long chap. At least that what I think

"So cool!~" Sun squealed as he ran around the airship checking each and every room it had. The conference, sleeping quarters, compact gym/training room and bathroom. Blake never knew a bathroom could be so intriguing, but she had learned long ago back in Beacon that people are entertained easily. Sun was just one of them.

He pushed down the lever of the toilet's flush and let out another high pitched squeal.

Blake's mind was just full of bewilderment at the faunus' over excitement. She groaned and face palmed for what feels like the millionth time that day. Ever since they had seen the airship reveal itself from thin air, he had been squealing like Ruby always has been whenever she had seen a new weapon.

Heels meeting metal caught up with her ears, making the appendages twitch involuntary. She turned right in time to see the amused smirk on Belle's face as the girl modelled towards them in a fast motion. Feeling intimidated by her beauty, Blake smiled awkwardly and waved, "Belle. Hi. Is there something you need?" Her voice shook, feeling underdressed at Belle's plain sleeveless black shirt, exposing the well trained, lean muscle.

The woman shook her head, "No." She replied then turned to the bathroom, "I just wanted to check how the both of you are settling in the ship. It's a little nauseous when the ride is long..."

Sun was squealing when he pressed a slab to reveal a container with shampoo conditioners, all of them had sunflower patterns and a vibrant yellow hue on each one of them. 

"It looks like you're having fun." Belle sarcastically said as she watched Sun freak out at the shampoos, jumping up and down with his tail as he examined the bottles from a foot of a distance, holding himself back when he noticed the amount of Blake's hair had doubled.

Blake groaned again, "Tell me about it." She muttered.

"Oh hey, Belle!" He paused in his work, immediately freezing on what he was doing. He turned around with a blush on his cheeks and a bottle of shampoo on one of his hand, "Belle! Hi!" And just like that, he had completely forgotten to think straight, "I didn't notice you were walking there." Blake face palmed while Belle had given him a small wave and an awkward smile.

Blake glanced from the corner of her eyes, "Forgive him. Thinking straight was not what he was taught as a kid."

Belle's snorts, "I think he's just feigning stupidity for when it comes to a serious battle, he can defeat a hundred opponents and have me surprised. Then he'll swoop me off my feet and take me to the horizon and we both live happily ever after. The end."

The statement caught Blake off guard and she stares at her for a long second before she bursts into a fit of giggles, "Gosh... you didn't just hit the bullseye! Straight to it too!" She hissed as she tried her best to quiet down her giggles. Belle smiles in satisfaction.

Sun swayed his arms to his side, fanning his face with the red towel using his tail, "It's hot in here, isn't it?" He breathed out, the lie was there and what he was trying to say was 'I'm blushing and it's because of you', "You look beautiful– I mean!.. not that you aren't beautiful already! Just _beautiful_ , beautiful!" He chuckled. He must've noticed that the girl only wore plain sleeveless shirt because his blush deepened in a color that rivals Ruby's cape.

Blake struggled not to stifle an eye roll at the falling faunus, instead, she focused on Belle's reaction which was only an awkward smile.

Belle then turned and looked at the item on his hands. She walked over to him and Sun held his breath. When she was at close proximity, Blake couldn't help but smile to see his tail actually staying put.

He muttered some unknown words towards the beauty which the two of the brunettes have to suffer through the means of trying to understand a single word. To no avail.

Belle grabbed the shampoo from his hands and waved it in front of him with a small smile, "Please don't touch Gold's hair accessories." Her ears folded a little to the front and she gave him a timid smile, "She's a little... sensitive... when it comes to her hair.."

"Oh." He said then he shrugged, "I know another blonde with the same issue." He blurted out.

Belle stared at him and started laughing. Sun smiled widely at his accomplishments. She waved a hand his way, "Tell me..." She said in between laughs, "Does she have a lion's mane for hair?"

Sun nodded and straightened his posture, proud that he had started making the goddess in front of him laugh, "You could say that." He pointed both fingers to his eyes to emphasise his next few words, "Her eyes even go red when a small strand got cut off." He huffs, "Goes WILD when someone tries to touch it! Seriously if I just-"

Blake looked away and tuned out of the conversation. Her lip quivered and her right hand was already holding and rubbing circles to her elbow as she tries to muster the little comfort she needed. She couldn't stop the conversation just the sake of her not being able to handle it, that would be disrespectful and rude. So sitting out of it and just listen distantly is just the right choice.

Someone softly chopped her head. She looked up and saw lilac together with a cocky grin, "Hey, what's with the long face?" She says excitedly, both hands already on her hips. Posing a very bold and strong power pose. The sleeves didn't do well to hide the bulk of her muscle which made Blake just stare at those for a moment.

Blake averted her eyes, "It's nothing." She immediately says, like she had been saying those exact same words with the exact same phrase over and over that it actually became a small reflex. She could feel Gold's eyes on her and she couldn't help but just utter some small words like, "Just a little... uncomfortable...." and now she said it.

Gold leaned down and met with her eyes, her lilac was curious to what was so uncomfortable, "I can inform Rose to move it in a different area if you're not comfortable." She chuckles dryly, "That is, if you're moving our toilet then I can't do that..."

She shook her head, "No... just uncomfortable of their conversation." Gold looked over her to find her partner and Sun having a lovely conversation about a specific hot-headed blonde back in Beacon.

She looked back down at Blake with a soft look, "Wanna talk about it?"

Again, she shook her head and almost took one step backwards but she held off, she knew what people like her would do if she shows any kind of reluctancy in her actions and she doesn't really want to be reminded of the chances she had left behind if she only had stayed, "It's... personal." She muttered, "It'll probably be boring listening to someone just complain about their own life." Blake managed a smile. A forced smile.

Gold knitted her brow and leaned back, giving her back some of her personal space back. She looked disappointed and desperate, the way her eyes screamed sympathy at her made unwanted flashes about the thing she was trying to avoid just a second earlier.

She held her elbow tighter and clenched her jaw. The tears were passing through all of her high and chunky barriers like acid, starting to sting her eyes.

This time, she did take a step back, turning her head to the side, "Please don't look at me like that..." She muttered. She shouldn't have sounded so small, so weak. She barely knew the person and before she knew it, she'd kill her and Sun when they land just by making her have a panic attack of her own memories being thrown on her own. Then again, she couldn't help it. She was just weak and she knows that. She shouldn't fight the fact when it had already smashed her to unredeemable bits.

Gold didn't hesitate to nod and quickly change back to a chipper expression. An easy one, she thought.

Blake looked up and smiled when she saw the look disappeared, "Thank you..."

"Gold." Belle greeted, striding towards them with a smirk, "Aren't you supposed to be controlling the ship?"

The lights beeped, "The ship is currently on autopilot. Strictly ordered by the team leader."

Belle cocked a brow while Gold turned and glared at the nearest camera. She scoffed and rolled her eyes when a box came out from one of the wall's slabs, "Seriously, Rose. I thought we talked about having autopilot in the ship while I'm the captain."

There was a sigh, the box-like creature in front of them tilting downwards, "Again. _Strictly ordered_." The box looked up to meet with Gold's eyes, "And there are a bunch of reasons why you still aren't allowed to steer the ship."

Gold crossed her arms, "Yeah? Name it."

"Let's see..." The box pulled out a biotic arm out of nowhere and started counting with it's fingers. Belle from the back was holding off her snorts, she did not want to agitate her partner further, "First of all, you are banned to touch a steering wheel. Second, because of Belle's condition. Third, because you are banned and lastly, Ruby says so."

And with that, Gold starts fuming and shouting her own reasons against that. Even pulled out her wallet as evidence of her 'driver's license' which the other three did not have. But her case was already one-sided as soon as Rose had brought up Belle's condition.

Blake took a step towards Belle and whispered, "What's going on?" It was soft and she knew only Belle could hear her.

Belle chuckles and clasped both hands behind her back, her ears twitching when Gold unleashed another round of profanities, "Gold and Red always fight over who controls and commands the ship. They made Rose from scratch and we were all proud when nothing inside exploded." She hesitated and looked away, "..yet."

Blake snorts.

Gold grumbled something under her breath when Rose had enough of her and just jumped back into the slot on the wall, shutting off ay communications for the time being.

"How'd it go?" Belle asked, her fingers twitching to move forward and intertwine her fingers with Gold's.

Gold looked away and crossed her arms, "The thing ghosted me!" She scoffed, "I can't believe her! I can't believe Ruby! I mean, just let me drive this thing once! Once!"

Belle frowned, "Gold." She says firmly, her fingers twitching again, this time it was more visible to a human eye making Gold instantly regretted her words, "I know how much you love adrenaline rushes but please, not now? I'll ask Ru-Red or White to have you have Rose all for yourself." Her eyes suddenly became pleading and glassy, "I can't handle those things right now, so please?"

Gold sighs and scratches her temple, "Yeah..." She deflated and a pout was on her lips. The other smiles and nods.

Belle and Blake wrinkled their noses as soon as another blond had approached them. Their hands shot to their nose, pinching it and trying their best to block the strong scent of roses before turning around and glare at the monkey faunus who was brushing off his naked top.

He looked up just in time to see to piercing amber eyes glaring at him, freezing when his blue ones landed on Gold's lilac.

He waved, "Hi..." He croaked. When no response came, he swallowed a rock, "What?"

"What in feline's name did you wash yourself in?!" Blake exclaimed, taking a step back.

Gold started sniffing the air and gagged when the scent hit her nose, "Is that my sister's condition?"

"I maaaay or may not have accidentally poured some red bottled conditioner on myself." Blake's glare intensifies. He raised both hands as a defense, "Hey! It wasn't my fault I still don't know how to get out!"

"And how did you get out?" Belle asked, crossing her arms. Her expression was far more amused to be assumed that she was actually mad at him.

He blushed, "Well..." He said then shook his head, " _That_ isn't a topic I can share of."

Blake groaned, "Sun!-"

"All materials are copied successfully from the Team base inside the clinic. Belle? Are you coming?"

"I'll be there, Rose." She started walking away with an apologetic smile as she engaged a conversation with the AI.

~

Sounds of something sharp and metal clashing can be heard from this far away. Gold told them that it was just their leader training and that it wasn't really a problem. But that reassurance didn't really convince Blake's anxiety, probably made it worse.

Every sound sends her visions of Beacon. The battle field, the cafeteria, Adam. She could tell herself that wasn't a good sign. Though her stubbornness, as always, got the best of her and she refused to tell the others why she was fidgeting and wincing at the sounds.

Gold held her hand out. Blake almost crashed. Belle and Sun continued their walk without noticing the two of them had stopped. When out of earshot, Gold let out a chuckle and turned around to face Blake, "You know you're stubborn." She whispered.

Blake's lump in her throat shot down her stomach at the unexpected proclamation, "..what?" She croaked out then hiccuped, one hand was quickly on her mouth.

Gold laughed at her sudden incapability to talk, "Blake Belladonna." She stated in between laughs, the same energetic ones she heard that echoed throughout the airship while they were riding, "You, are stubborn as hell." Gold's laughter turned into occasional snorts.

She shook her head then looked away. Her hand already creeping to hold her elbow.

"Come one, Blake, tell me what is it." Gold pondered, telling Blake with her actions that she was allowed to voice her anxieties, that she was allowed to vent and cry in her presence. The same kind of presence that she always has when she was ever near her team. That alone brought comfort to her mind.

Blake was hesitant but not uncomfortable. That was always the reason why she hadn't confess. "I have nothing to tell you." Her voice shook and she slapped herself mentally at that. Now Gold will assume that _there_ _is_ something she really wanted to get out of her chest.

"Pssh. Don't even _try_ to lie." She crossed her arms, her face slowly melting into seriousness. Rare, Blake thought, she looks so carefree that when she was being serious, it's like the goofiness just got kicked out the house. Gold narrowed her eyes, "You flinch whenever you hear the sound, your obvious. At least for me, you are."

She swallowed, "Is it that obvious?" She whispered, holding her elbow tightly, looking for the slightest comfort. Her feet starts to unconsciously drag below her, making Gold's eyes glance down, probably making sure she wont run.

Gold shook her head, "Nope." She shrugged on shoulder and smiled, "People say I'm observant when it comes to emotions. At least, that's what Belle always says I guess." Her face softened, empathy were held behind her lilac eyes like it was a life line.

Blake breathed out relief, nobody but the 'emotion detector' noticed. Good. She would be in trouble when Sun notices, that would be a very hard conversation with the monkey faunus.

"So what is it?"

She looked up with a conflicted look, "Why do _you_ want to know?" She snapped, instantly regretting it inside, but she will never tell her that. She was just practically a stranger that they followed because she was interesting, she didn't expect to have a one on one talk about personal feelings. No. She only came because she said she was in danger, so she trusted her blindly without another word. That.... is going to be another topic she will have to discuss with her brain...

Gold frowned, "I know what happened back at Beacon and why you ran away." Blake flinched and took a step back, her ears pinned down her head not wanting to hear the end of it, "If it wasn't for this mission, I wouldn't have come here and ruin your rest. But I still want to help you blow off some steam somehow, even if it's small I still want to help." She smiled softly then took a breath, "Let me ask you this again. What is it?"

Blake chewed her lip, hesitating and considering Gold's offer. She rubbed her elbow for the nth time and blew out another breath.

Her gaze fell to the dirt, "It's nothing... I'm just being, paranoid..." She admitted, "Ever since Beacon, just the sound of something going off makes me see visions from the attack..." makes her see _him_ smirking above her.

Gold held her shoulders and made her look up to her eyes. Those pupils were filled with concern and determination, the sight was almost identical to the day Yang confronted her, making her heart skip a beat. This was all too familiar to pass up but her mind had shut down and placed this moment in the 'deal with now, dwell on later' box.

Gold gave her shoulders a small squeeze snapping her out of her trance, "You're not paranoid." She assured, her voice firm, no room for arguments. She wasn't stating facts. No. She was just saying what's on her mind. Her opinion. This girl doesn't even know her that long, so why would she have the power to comfort her? Whatever it is, it's working. Semblance maybe.

But still... even what her brain tells her, the assurance gave her a small bite of peace. Her body and brain though, they had a few words to say

Blake's eyebrows formed an arch and she leaned in forward, softly trying to push the blonde away and gain some inches apart, "But I am!" She countered, tears stinging her eyes, "That's why I ran away from the White Fang! Why I ran away from Beacon! Why I..." She wiped the tears away with her forearm, a defeated huff escaping her lips, "Why I ran away from Yang..."

Blake's ears perked up when she felt Gold's hand stroke her hair. She looked back up and stared as Gold continued stroking. Her natural instinct was to back off and slap the hand away, instead, she found herself melting into the touch. The same way she did back at Beacon at Ruby's unexpected hugs.

Gold's fingers then started caressing the base of Blake's feline ears, a small blush starting to spread across her face. This was _very_ embarrassing, yet comforting...

"You're not paranoid." She repeated, a small smile tugging her rosy pink lips, "You just think that low of yourself... you don't give yourself much credit, Blake." Gold's eyes glanced to the side, expecting someone to burst out with a cocky grin Blake had printed in her mind, then she looked back, "And I know someone who thinks the same way..."

Gold pulled her hand back and grinned cockily. She turned around and just walked away, leaving a very confused and flustered Belladonna.


	7. Three Meets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake runs away again.  
> Weiss is worried.  
> Ruby is running.  
> Yang feels numb.

A long squeal made both Belle and Blake's ears twitch at the same time. Then followed a red bullet, driving towards Gold. Knocking the blonde off her feet and towards the nearest tree, which was a few feet away. Blake and Sun's hands were on their weapons, but before they could attack, Belle held her hand out and shook her head fondly.

Sun and Blake glanced at each other. Sun shrugged.

Belle walked towards them the smile on her face not fading, "Red." She greeted when she saw the two siblings playing rough house on the ground. Red looks up from the tight headlock her sister had trapped her in.

Red squeaked when she felt the lock tighten and squirmed away from Gold, kicking the girl on the gut, "Get off me, brute!" She exclaimed, still kicking Gold on the gut. Nothing really happened and Gold was laughing very loudly.

"You're the one who misses me so much, you pushed us to a tree! I gotta return the favour, sister's job." She held one hand up, like a boy scout would reciting their honours. Gold was one of those that dearly loves her sister that she always tortures her in a way unknown to people. Red kicked her one last time, Gold looked down feeling nothing, "If you want to get away from me, sis. You gotta do extra harder than that."

"Put her down now, Gold." Belle says, kneeling down in front of them. Her voice was enough to shut them up and stare at her. Gold, at first, grumbled some stuff that involves something about a sister's code, but complies nonetheless, "Thank you." She turned to Red.

Red groaned and rubbed her head, "Status report."

Gold started tinkering with her prosthetic, adjusting some of the lose bolts. "Rose is scouting the whole island, she'll immediately ping us an update if there's someone other than us that'll set foot. Other than that we're on the green. Belle had just got checked up in the ship's clinic and she's alright, Blake and Sun are back in one peace." She watched as the metal fingers waved like the real thing.

"Good. I really thought you'd beat up lover boy over there." Red bobbed her head at the staring monkey faunus.

Sun glances at all three of them, "What are you all looking at? I didn't do nothin'..." He squeaked when Red gave her a glare. Red brightens up after she gave him a long look from top to bottom. The action made him flinch at her flexible emotion switch.

Gold pats Red's head, "Anyways, this is my lil sister. Red, say hello to Blake and Sun." She cooed.

Red scoffed and slapped the hand away like the virus it is. She stood up, dusting off her combat skirt before she walked towards them with a hand out and a bright smile, "Hi! We were just waiting for the both of you! You guys are the last ones were waiting for."

Sun shook her hand, "Hi, so is there a bathroom anywhere near here? I'm kinda been holding this up ever since we landed. New scents and all." He gestured at the environment around them. His knees were pressed together.

Red smiled so innocently that it was scary, "Oh you have to wait when we get back to the hut. We don't want to stain this forrest now, wouldn't we?" She tilted her head adorably to the side and Sun flinched. He pulled back his hand and started jumping on his toes.

"So you're the team leader." Blake murmurs, walking forward and gave Red's hand a quick shake. Despite being it small, the hands were just as rough as Gold's. The texture familiar in one way, "My name's Blake. It's nice to meet you, Red." She looked away.

"I hope my sister didn't do anything inappropriate or anything— ow!" She rubbed her head, it stings from the very loud and painful smack the blonde gave her. Gold narrowed her eyes with pursed lips. Blake resisted the urge to laugh when she saw that the blonde was twitching to cross her arms. Maternal, Blake thought. Red groaned, "What was that for?"

Gold then beamed, pretending nothing happened, shutting down all of her sister's complaints. She waved at the direction Red had jumped out of, "I guess we'll be going this way then."

Red scoffed and rolled her eyes. She pouted, looking more like a child than the responsible leader she had imagined all the way they travelled to this direction.

"Red! Where are you?!" A cheery voice called out deep in the woods. Blake couldn't help but feel like she was slowly sinking. Her steps became slow and anxious, she recognises that voice, she could never forget that voice. She swallowed and stopped in her tracks forcing the others to stop as well.

Seeing this happen, Belle and Gold began to move towards the girl like they knew what she might do next. Blake breathed heavily when she saw the rustle of the leaves from the nearby bush and she could hear the steady heartbeat of not one, but two of her old team mates. Tears blurred her vision but she held them back as she started to step away from the rest of the group.

Gold cursed under her breath when she saw Blake's ears starts to glue itself to her scalp. She took a step forward and flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Belle shaking her head a 'no' for her next actions. She narrowed her eyes slightly and Belle's eyes replied with pleading ones. Gold sighs and gives up, raising her hands up her head and settles near her partner and sister, watching critically.

Ruby and Weiss stepped out of the rustling bushes, brushing off the leaves off their costume. Ruby looked around and saw Red standing with two other people she guessed was the rest of her team mates. They were all staring blankly at something. She turned to the direction of her own partner when she felt Weiss tug the hem of her cloak.

She cocked a brow to see one of the most surprised looks she had seen Weiss. Was there something wrong? What was she looking at? Ruby followed Weiss' line of sight and her own eyes widen in shock when she saw a very scared and trembling Blake Belladonna. The person that ran away after the fall of Beacon. That left her sister when she needed her the most. A tinge of anger bubbled up in her chest but was quickly covered with sympathy.

Ruby furrowed her brows, "...Blake?" She called out quietly. Everyone there saw how Blake flinched at her own name. Everyone saw the way she was trying her best to move her body and run. "How are you..."

Ruby trailed off when she saw the pinned cat ears on top of Blake's head. She'd never seen Blake without her bow before, she looked so different when she wasn't hiding a part of herself.

Weiss picked up on Ruby's small scan and made her own move. She stepped closer to Blake, her heels crunching the dead leaves as she glares at her lightly, "I didn't think you'd actually be here when Red and White told us about the threat." She says sharply. If it were any more possible, Blake's ears seemed to squeeze more into her scalp. "You never seize to surprise me, Belladonna..." Weiss added, more soft than her earlier comment making Blake scrunch in confusion.

When Weiss said she missed her team, she meant all of the members in it. She knew about Blake's abrupt leave when she was boarding with her father to Atlas and it made her think about that long and hard, only to give up when she knew deep down that she could never find the answers when the answers were only reserved for Yang and Yang only.

Blake's tears finally spilled and she took small and fast steps backwards, "I-I-I..." She closed her eyes and shook her head, turning half of her body to the opposite direction. "I can't do this..." She murmured, breathlessly. "I'm so sorry..." That's what she last said before she disappeared in flash, her body that once stood there became a shadow and blended into the grass.

Sun tried to run after her but he stopped when bushes started to grow thicker, "Blake!" He called out with his hands cupping his mouth. Before he could turn around, he tumbled a little when he saw a red blur race beside him, a flurry of rose petals leaving it's wake. He turned around and saw Weiss standing there, worried while Ruby was nowhere to be seen.

~~~

Yang's unconscious body tingles when Olive checked up on her.


	8. Shadow of her Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Blake talks about that one person they care about deeply

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to put up trigger warnings because I'm an idiot and is still a newbie. But uhh... yeah. WARNING.
> 
> I advice you to read yet drop this story right here now, because it might trigger you how I handle things that involve mental illnesses and the different types of sexualities and genders. I did some very deep research about the topic and I tried my best to portrait the things I taught myself. So uhh.. yeah, drop this. This is probably the whole trigger warning.

"But Blake!" Sun reasoned, his body itching to go and run after Ruby and Blake. Gold tugged Sun's jacket tighter, her eyes flickering for a second in a colour of deep, boiling red making Sun rethink some of his decisions. He huffed quietly before he let go of his resistance and stand there with his arms crossed in front of him.

Red swiped the holoscreen of her scroll and looked at Belle before transferring her gaze to Sun, "They'll be alright. I can tell you that much that they'll be back before dinner. I've already told White and Olive about the situation and it was expected to have that kind of reaction from the faunus..."

"But how are you so sure about that!?" Sun asked, bewildered to see nothing but blank on their face. As if they were on Military Mode. "How are you so sure that Blake isn't going to make her own boat and sail off this island? That she'll be safe?"

Weiss sighs and rubs her temple, "Rose is probably circling the island, Red told us that the ship always sends notifications whenever there's something out of the ordinary." Remembering White's words, Weiss was sure about Rose being the constant dings of their scrolls.

"How about we go to the hut and wait for the two to come back, if they aren't back before dusk then Gold and Red will go and find them. Is that a good deal?" Belle suggested, leaning closer to Gold for comfort and probably for support. The blonde sighed and nodded in agreement, together with Red and Weiss.

Sun groaned, "Fine..."

===

Another ragged sob echoed throughout the quiet forrest. The surrounding animals either running away in fear or turning toward the direction with curiosity, either way Blake really didn't care. Her emotions were getting out of hold and she needed to reel all of those in before something bad happens, like a Grimm attacking or someone she knows finding her. She can't afford that. She really can't.

She took another shaky breath, a weak effort to try and calm her nerves down, but it still work. Somehow. She wiped her tears and reached down for her coat pocket and brought out her slick black ribbon.

She held the fabric tightly as she pulled it closer towards her nose. She sniffled a little, clearing the clog on her nose before she deeply inhaled. The scent of jasmine and citrus registered in her brain and swam inside her system, calming down half of her nerves. She closed her eyes and focused on the fabric. The texture, how the softness was somehow familiar under her fingers. The scent, clearly familiar due to it was her own scent and another person she deeply cared about. The sound it made as she caressed that only her faunus ears could hear.

Blake never knew why she kept this ribbon. Nor did she ever know how this simple thing was able to actually keep up with her.

After she joined the Fang, her mother and father and gave her this as their parting gift. A black ribbon. At first she didn't know what to do with it so she simply tied it around her arm as a reminder that she was the one that would continue her family's cause. Then she attached part of it to her designed weapon due to it lacking the distance she needed to either capture an enemy or to swing from one branch to another. Then after she left the Fang she forced the poor ribbon as a cover for her own identity that she was too much of a coward to show out.

It was a miracle really. A simple ribbon surviving all of the things she suffered, when she was the one that came out in pieces while the polyester came out still smooth and durable. She chuckles dryly at the thought, even a ribbon knows how to handle stuff she'd been through. Just how pathetic can she get? Too much she guessed.

But this ribbon was also there in her good times. The times where she felt like she can actually breathe, where she felt genuinely happy of her situation no matter how ridiculous or insensible it may seem, only because she knew that it was all for fun.

Fun. That's what Beacon Academy made her realise. Fun. She had _fun_ there. It doesn't quite feel right on her tongue to say or even think of that word. Her whole life was always so dedicated to freedom, subjugation, and equality. She'd never experienced what fun with friends and allies truly were except the teachings and love of her parents. But Beacon gave that to her. It gave her the chance to experience fun with very _fun_ people.

She scowls and opens her eyes. Fun people she had tainted with her poison. She should have known that it wasn't a good idea to get too close to them, now look where that got them? The one person. The dearest person she tried her best to control bits of her shadows and avoid her getting caught up in her own blood baths. _She_ got hurt. What's worse was, _she_ could've died.

She was too naive. She was far too naive and inexperienced. She could never face her again, not when she already added far more weight on Yang. It was one bad thing she caused the brawler to sacrifice her arm — a part of her body that she uses to fight and is one of the source of her pride — but to leave her there, all alone and hurting just because she thought that she would bring bad luck and hurt to her again. She was pathetic really. Probably even more than that word. A slut. Whore. Liar. Dependant. Insecure. Pathetic. Slut.

Getting tired of the repeating thoughts, she banged her head hard on the tree she was leaning on, making the wood shake and scare off a few birds that resided there as a home. She narrowed her eyes when her vision was a little blurry. She saw leaves started to slowly fall and her head wasn't exactly hurting, nor did it remove her thoughts.

Like the true genius she is, she banged her head again on the tree, harder than the last. It was an effort to stop the hurtful thoughts in her mind, but it didn't seem to be working. She did it again and more tears fell from her eyes.

She continued this until another thought come cross and it made her pause. Her breath, her movement, her mind.

Gold. Golden hair that shined in the moon and sun's light and lilac eyes that translated safeness and comfort. Once soft, looking tenderly her way but changes gradually with her mistakes. Molten. Molten gold that seems to look like it was on fire and blood red eyes that translates the intent to kill crystal clear. Now angry, looking for revenge and a way to bring her to justice.

No. She wasn't going to think about that. She wasn't going to think about Yang. No. She had already done that while she was running away, she could still remember that day and she didn't want to think about it. NO.

Her legs burned and the bruises on her body was swelling and slowing down her movements, probably worsened throughout the days as she refuses to use her aura to recover herself. She was panting heavily as soon as she arrived at the edge of Vale, she stole clothes and dumped her old ones to the sea. She refuses to use her weapon to hunt down food and she would always get bruises. The fucking bruises. They won't fucking stop.

A scream she didn't know she was holding in unleashes to the wild, to the world. Her emotions letting out like raw meat from a freshly killed animal. It came out like a thunderstorm would after countless of days of dry season and evaporation.

She knew her scream might attract attention, but she didn't care about that for now. All she cared right then was to desperately get rid of her thoughts. Not Yang.

"Please..." She whimpered hoarsely to herself, her own thoughts were taking over that she felt like she needed to speak to make it all stop, "Please, not her... anything but her. Please stop. Stop." After repeated a few words, her eyes widen and she banged her head on the tree for the last time, "Just stop! Please!" She hissed desperately. She really wanted it to stop.

She started seeing black dots. Right, her aura wasn't activated. She probably was damaging herself right then and there. A creepy smile crept up her face at the thought of further damaging her already broken self. More useless...

Her mind wandered but it never fell on any particular thought, afraid that she might just go insane. Probably the best decision considering her thought-process and condition.

Her ears twitched at the sound of wind howling and leaves crunching. With months of reading while her team practiced, she had memorised Ruby's semblance pattern whenever she would use it to take a person's advantage. She memorised how it would sound like so she could decipher if she would be an enemy or an ally in a future battle. Right now, it seems as though she was the enemy here.

She groggily distributed her weight on her arms as she dragged herself towards the other direction of the crunches, trying to get away from the scene before Ruby gets there and convinces her to go back there.

But just like Ruby always like to say it,

_"I'm fast. I promise I'm fast. I can run after you and I will always find you!"_

She couldn't help but shake her head slightly at the thought of Ruby's proclamation was actually a fact. Almost everything that child had said was straight up facts, from her unusual decision making to her random middle night sleep talking. It was all facts that Blake found the hard way to believe.

"Blake?!" Ruby's frantic voice finally reached her ears and registered in her brain. She merely smiled at the young leader as she emerges out of the bushes.

Ruby looks around, panting slightly. She must've been searching around the island. It wasn't long before her shining silver eyes had landed on Blake's form, right in the corner of that small clearing, smiling weakly toward Ruby.

The brunette ran towards her as she called out, "Blake!" She slid on her knees as she held the faunus in her arms. She might be small but she was someone who handles a hundred pound scythe that is comprises off of wires and steel, she can easily handle a limp, dizzy faunus girl. Ruby moved Blake to her lap as she searched the faunus for any injuries. Her hand came to Blake's head and her eyes widen in horror. "What were you thinking!" She scolded, eyes glassed with tears.

Blake closed her eyes and relaxed on her team leader's lap. "I don't know... I wasn't thinking..." She whispered, her mind was blank and the thoughts that were swirling around there was the memories of Team RWBY and their adventures. Nothing but that, yet it caused her pain and happiness at the same time.

"Now look at where that lead you..." Ruby hissed as she twisted slightly and grabbed something from her pouch. She held the elixir near Blake's wound, "This is going to sting a little so bear with me..." She warned before she sprayed the elixir on Blake's wound. The faunus winced and clutched Ruby's cloak tightly. Was her wound that wide that it hurts than stings? Probably.

Ruby placed the mixture back in her pouch and pulled out a small container. Blake watched with half-opened eyes as Ruby opens the container and scooped a finger full of white goo and carefully apply it on Blake's wound.

Immediately, Blake felt the headache start to sooth and the throbbing she felt had lessen, together with her dizziness and sleepiness. She furrowed in confusion as Ruby continued to apply more of the goo on her wound. Why was she doing this? She should be hating her. Not only for leaving but also for hurting Yang that way that she did. Twice actually.

After one last swipe, she closed the container as she spoke in a hushed voice, "That should do it." She helped Blake sit up properly. She dusted a few of the dirt in Blake's outfit before she asked, "How are you feeling..?"

"Better..."

"That's good. I know it isn't that much. Dad used to have that many gels back home to heal shallow wounds and scratches. Yang always injures herself whenever she's training her fighting style and semblance, so we were forced to adjust." Ruby announced, oblivious to the fact that Blake had frozen at the name of her partner. "I thought I'd bring some on the way because Nora and Jaune are practically the same..."

Blake cleared her throat and composed herself. She looked to the side, she can't really turn her head due to her neck being awfully sore for hunching at one spot for practically hours or so. Tears fell down her eyes and she sat up from Ruby's lap to wipe them away properly.

Ruby reached out and held her hand, an act of support. Something Blake didn't feel like she deserved at that moment.

She hiccuped, "Why are you doing this? I hurt you all in more ways than one... I don't deserve your kindness when I abused it..."

Ruby smiles, the there was a tiny glint in her eyes that Blake knew very well that it meant understanding, one of the affections and luxury Yang always shows her whenever she was either pushing herself too hard or in just a daily basis when she thinks so low of herself. Another batch of tears wells up her eyes when she saw the same look Ruby was giving her.

The brunette squeezed Blake's hand twice before she lets her smile widen. She tilts her head to the side and closes her eyes, showing her cuteness and also affection. "Because if I were Yang, I would do the exact same thing!"

Blake sobbed. Those words were truthful in every way, shape, or form that it hurt to hear just how sincere it is.

Ruby looked away in a kind that resembles of dismay. She chuckles dryly, "Probably not what she'll say now though..." She looked back at Blake and her guiltiness could be seen just surrounding and eating her up, "She's been through a lot Blake, she lost her arm and partner, the one person she trusts the most. She thought that you left her because she became a cripple. Useless."

Blake furrowed, the emotions welling up her chest was indescribable. Pain? Anger? Sorrow? She couldn't decipher it in one action. But what Ruby said really confused her. "Useless..?"

"That's what she thinks. That's the only thing she thinks these days... just how useless she became after she lost her arm for thinking so rationally." Blake opened her mouth to deny everything Ruby said, telling her that Yang was fine. That Yang was fine without Blake in her life. But when she saw that Ruby has more to say than Yang lost her arm and thinks she's useless. "But so are you."

"...me?"

"You ran away, Blake. You ran away from your friends and probably the people you deeply cared about. I don't know what's going on inside your head that night but I do know that you weren't the only one that was left with conflicted emotions." Ruby said sternly, leaving no room for any tidbits of argument Blake found laying on the ground, "You thought rationally, just like Yang did and ran away. Acted just like Yang when she saw you had that blade deep in you hip, you followed your natural instincts. You ran away because you think that'll be alright. Just like how Yang thought that she'd only need a few punches and sunshines to make you happy and not deal with your past abuse ever again..."

"I-"

Ruby sighed, "You thought she'll be happier when you aren't there in her life." Blake's whole being was filled with nervousness that tingled and willed her to run away again. "But she isn't. Blake." But Ruby's words cut through her like butter and a knife. It was all so logical that it almost didn't register in her brain. "She's been worse, Blake. She's been far more worse than I've ever seen her..."

Silence drifted above them. Blake was letting all those information sink while Ruby was tying her best to hold herself back in fear that she might just driven her further away or had overwhelmed the faunus.

Blake's thoughts swirled, all about it focused on Yang. This time, it wasn't anger and longing that she held for the blonde, but... confusion. She held confusion like a target above her head, broadcasting it to the world around her. The thought of Yang feeling or even worse, becoming numb never crossed her mind. She always thought that she'd be happier without Blake. That Blake was just another nuisance in her life that she couldn't wait to get rid of. 

Blake broke the silence, "I messed up... didn't I?"

Ruby clicked her tongue before she tugged the girl closer, pulling her into a tight hug showing her respect and care for her. They might not be the best of friends, but they knew each other well to know how the other thinks on a daily basis and how deep they can go before they break.

Blake buried her face on Ruby's neck as she cried loudly and ugly on the young leader. "I lost her didn't I? I lost hold of her... she's mad at me now, she's- argh! Ruby I messed up!"

Ruby squeezed her tightly, "You didn't 'lose her', Blake. You could never 'lose her' in your life, because tell you what? She's one of the most persistent and annoying person out there, she won't give up easily. She's just down now but if you give her a chance and stay, you'll see that she can pass every situation and come out stronger than ever because that's who she is remember? She juts down damage and bring them out stronger than before."

"But how can she forgive me? I left her with the mentality that I abandoned her because I think she's useless when in truth I'm more useless than she could ever hope to imagine."

"You both could figure this one out." Ruby pulled away to look at Blake with such authority, "And you both will come out stronger. Together." Ruby smiles sweetly and tilts her head to the side, Blake knows this and calls this as Ruby's puppy mode.

Ruby helped Blake up to her feet and begin tugging her to the direction of the hut, "Now come on! They might not give us dinner because we've been out here for too long! I'm starving!" Ruby started walking toward the direction with her hands behind her back. She stops in her tracks and looks over her shoulder and gave Blake one smile before she disappeared in a flurry of rose petals.

Blake couldn't help herself but roll her eyes and reach for her back and grab the hilt of Gambol. Her weapon turned into a sickle and she swung it on a nearby tree and started to follow Ruby's tracks of petals.

She would go there with a renowned determination. She would fix this. She'll come out of this stronger and she won't be alone. She'll take all of the first steps and she'll accomplish them without fail. Because Ruby was right.

Gosh she was always right.


End file.
